The California Coastal Commission approved a plan to build a $175 million seawall along San Francisco's coastline as a means of protecting the city's infrastructure, Newsweek reported.
The 3,200-ft.-long wall reaching 55-ft. deep will be one of the largest construction projects in the state's history. It will be designed to prevent shoreline damage caused by climate change, according to a report by Construction Briefing.
San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission developed the proposal, citing fears that global warming could lead to rising sea levels and cliff erosion; that, in turn, could impact the city's structure near the coast — especially the Lake Merced Tunnel along the San Francisco coast, which is a vital part of the city's drainage system, Newsweek reported.
"It's the Lake Merced Tunnel. It's large enough you could drive a truck through it. Its 14-foot diameter tunnel, it carries stormwater and sewage from that side of the city to the oceanside treatment plant," Anna Roche, senior project manager of the SFPUC, told 7News.
Rubble and temporary rock barriers will be removed from Ocean Beach before the wall can be built. In addition, the shoreline will be widened by more than 20 meters, Construction Briefing reported. A seaside trail, parking lot and other features would be added, 7News reported.
Upon completion, the seawall will require maintenance via sand replenishment approximately every five years. Each application will cost about $5 million.
City officials will permanently close part of the Great Highway to make room for the project. That road runs for about 4 mi. on the beach, a road that runs almost four miles along Ocean Beach. Public trails and pedestrian access may also be impacted, Newsweek reported.
The Surfrider Foundation opposed the plan, saying the construction would restrict public access to beaches and to the sea — and possibly allowing for more coastline construction.
Extreme weather has heightened fears of climate change in California. Days after the seawall was approved, an atmospheric river of concentrated moisture from the Pacific brought heavy rains and flooding to the state's coastline.
