Weekend Roundup: More Great Stuff for Sunset Dunes, BART Lengthening Trains…

Here are three Streetsblog news nuggets to start your weekend.

Awesome new feature coming to Sunset Dunes

Advocates with Friends of Sunset Dunes are continuing to develop what is now one of San Francisco’s most popular parks. They just broke ground on a new playground and dune education area at Judah Street called Shipwreck Cove. Check out the video above for an explainer. More from advocates:

Shipwreck Cove is custom designed by Something Labs, an independent collective of engineers and builders who create exhibits at the Exploratorium.

Designed specifically for Sunset Dunes, it is a one-of-a-kind play and learning space that draws its inspiration from the storied history of shipwrecks along Ocean Beach and highlights the unique natural sand ecosystem around the park. 

The playground will be an educational and explorational space where children and families can learn about local flora and fauna and how they can be stewards of the nearby dune habitat. It will also feature educational, art-forward signage about the fragile dune ecosystem at Sunset Dunes and how to protect and care for the sensitive natural environment.

They’re also asking for donations, so be sure to help out if you can.

Look for Longer BART Trains Next Week

BART average weekday ridership reached 209,963 in June, marking an 18.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This surge sets new post-pandemic records, largely driven by the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Pride Weekend. Things still aren’t back to pre-COVID-era levels, but BART officials have decided it’s now time to lengthen the trains to increase capacity. From a BART announcement:

Monday, July 20, will mark the first time in more than six years that BART has offered 10-car trains as part of its regular service. The 10-car trains are being added to the Red and Yellow lines. Additionally, two morning trains on the Green Line will be extended from six to eight cars and one afternoon Blue Line train will be extended to eight cars.

Get more info on the longer trains and BART’s upcoming August schedule change. 

And a trailer for a film about the “secret sauce” of a good city

This weekend’s roundup started with a story about Sunset Dunes, which, as readers know, was a dangerous surface-level freeway, cutting off residents from the ocean, just a short time ago. Streetfilms, part of the Streetsblog network, has produced a feature-length film about another street that was given back to the people—34th Avenue/Paseo Park open street in Queens, New York. “It really takes you from Covid through today, but also looks back at 2008, 2010 and 2018 and some significant events that set up the journey with plenty of parables/lessons to the struggle to get more car-free places, school streets, pedestrian plazas and open streets,” wrote Clarence Eckerson, the film’s creator, in an email to Streetsblog S.F.

As the embedded trailer shows, it’s a great story about how streets can become the fabric of a community rather than a thoroughfare for cars. It’s a real lesson for the Bay Area and cities around the world. Click here if you’re interested in hosting a screening of the full feature, or reach out to Clarence at clarence@streetfilms.org.