In 1863, the rolling hillsides between Bernal Hill and Fairmount Hill were “cut” to make way for a railroad and changed the flow into San Francisco forever. The Bernal Cut is now home to San Jose Avenue, a major commuter road that brings thousands of cars into San Francisco every day.

The Bernal Cut Project is a multi-faceted exploration of place, history, community and the environment. Volunteers revitalize the Bernal Cut by planting and maintaining the hillside, and visitors learn about the Cut’s built environment from printed “wayfinding” plaques standing throughout the garden.  These place-based stories invite neighbors to consider the impact of urban planning and metropolitan growth on the environment.

The project is a collaboration between Citizen Film, a San Francisco-based media organization, the College Hill Neighborhood Association, The Glen Park Association, and California Native Plant Society Yerba Buena Chapter with support from Public Works, San Francisco Environment, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and San Francisco Parks Alliance. 

Journey with us through space and time as we explore the story of transformation on the Bernal Cut.

The Richland Ave Bridge and Cuvier Commons mural projects create a magical connection between neighborhoods separated by the Bernal Cut.

The projects green, beautify, and clean up open spaces alongside the “Cut” in both Bernal Heights and Glen Park, and along the way it forges stronger ties with local government and community groups, improves public safety and builds a more resilient neighborhood.

The Bernal Cut Path is a mile long pedestrian walkway running along the top of the east side of the Bernal Cut. Along the west side of the Cut is the Arlington Path. Wayfinding signs along the path will lead you on a non-linear journey through the geography, history and environmental impact that has transformed the hillside over the last century.

Want To Get Involved?

The Bernal Cut separates the once unified hillside that housed the neighborhoods of Bernal Heights and Glen Park. The Cut runs along the western edge of  ‘College Hill’, a small community that sits tucked between Mission Street and San Jose Avenue. College Hill is named after St. Mary’s College, the Catholic college that operated on this land from 1863 to 1879.

The College Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA) - an important collaborator on the Bernal Cut Project - welcomes neighbors from all sides to help transform the Bernal Cut.

Contact us at the College Hill Neighborhood Association.