Treasure Island was transferred to the U.S. Navy, and the drive was rerouted for the first time. During World War II, civilian access to the Presidio was closed, the route effectively closing along with it. In 1947, the drive reopened with an expanded southeastern segment, which now continued south past Mission San Francisco de Asís to Excelsior, McLaren Park, and Visitacion Valley before returning via the Bayshore Freeway and Bryant Street to The Embarcadero. In 1954, the Down Town Association held a contest to design a new sign to mark the route, offering the winner a $100 prize. Local artist Rex May submitted the winning entry, a seagull in profile on a sky blue background with white and orange text. The signs have proved a popular target for theft and many portions of the route are unsigned. The San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic, which manages the signs, attempts to replace them when they are informed. By 1976, the drive had been rerouted once more. The initial segment now moved west from Van Ness Avenue through Japantown, showcasing the recently completed Japan Center. A more complex loop through Chinatown included a trip up Nob Hill. A formalized detour to Fort Point was indicated, and the route now turned in Lincoln Park to reach Cliff House via Geary Boulevard instead of Fort Miley. A longer route through Golden Gate Park now included a circle of Stow Lake from the north, and the southeastern loop to Visitacion Valley was truncated and replaced by a turn on Army Street (Cesar Chavez). Finally, a new segment on Interstate 280 allowed the drive to return to The Embarcadero. In 1999, the route was again modified. Changes included beginning at Civic Center Plaza rather than on Van Ness Avenue, removing the former detour to Coit Tower, and traveling on Howard Street instead of Market Street at the end of the route. 49-Mile Scenic Route The 49-Mile Scenic Route is a scenic tour of San Francisco designed to be accessible to non-drivers. It is an alternative to the 49-Mile Scenic Drive. In 2019, Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote a series of articles about a proposed new scenic route. They started by doing the existing scenic drive via a variety of non-car modes of transport to figure out what works when not driving. After publishing their initial experience, Chronicle readers were