Q:
What is happening now?
A:
DPW is considering numerous alternatives for Klingle Road, including rebuilding the road for cars and converting the road into a hiking and biking trail. DPW has retained a consulting firm, the Louis Berger Group, Inc., which is preparing an environmental assessment of the alternatives under consideration. On November 30, 2000 DPW presented a nine-page "Progress Report" and listened to comments from members of the public.
Q:
What will happen next?
A:
DPW will accept public comments about the alternatives until December 30, 2000 at:
klingle_road_study@dpw.dcgov.org. DPW expects to issue a final report in early 2000 and make a recommendation to the Mayor about which alternative to pursue.
Traffic
Q:
Would rebuilding Klingle Road for motor vehicles relieve traffic congestion on east-west roads in Washington?
A:
No. A traffic study conducted for DPW in 2000 by the Louis Berger Group, Inc. concluded that "severe traffic congestion on east-west cross-town roadways . . . is expected to worsen over the years due to ever-increasing traffic volumes throughout the metro area, regardless of whether Klingle Road is to remain closed or rebuilt for vehicular traffic" (November 30, 2000 DPW "Progress Report: The Klingle Road Project," p. 9) (emphasis added).
Q:
Would rebuilding Klingle Road for motor vehicles relieve traffic congestion at intersections in Cleveland Park and Woodley Park, such as Connecticut Ave. @ Porter St. and Cleveland Ave. @ Garfield St.?
A:
No. The Berger traffic study concluded that if Klingle were rebuilt for cars, "the minor improvements to the studied intersections will not relieve the current vehicular traffic congestion associated in the study area." The Berger study also noted that "any reopening of Klingle Road will lead to some delay reduction on Porter Street and on Cleveland Avenue and Garfield Street; although, most of the already failed approaches at the studied intersections will continue to operate with unacceptable level of service (LOS)" (Progress Report, p. 9) (emphasis added).
Q:
Why won't rebuilding Klingle Road for cars relieve traffic congestion?
A:
Because Klingle is too narrow. The final sentence of the Berger traffic study states that "The opening of Klingle Road under any of build scenarios would result in only minor improvements to traffic operations due to the fact that the road size is incapable of relieving traffic or reducing the current LOS at surrounding intersections" (Progress Report, p. 9) (emphasis added).
Q:
Could Klingle Road be widened?
A:
No. The right-of-way is barely wide enough to carry one lane of traffic in each direction, and the National Park Service has publicly stated that they will not grant a wider right-of-way.
Q:
Was Klingle Road ever an east-west artery?
A:
No, it was just a shortcut through Rock Creek Park. It is not listed as an arterial road but as a collector on the DC Functional Classification map of city streets. Traffic studies before it was closed in 1990 record that it was one of the most lightly used routes across Rock Creek Park.
Cost
Q:
How much would it cost to rebuild Klingle Road for motor vehicles?
A:
DPW has not performed detailed cost analyses, but its preliminary estimate is $5.5 million to build a new paved road, including fixing the drainage problems that plagued Klingle for decades and resulted in its closure. The actual cost is likely to be much higher, though, considering that the right-of-way on which any road would be built is a challenging site: steep, winding, narrow, and on top of a creek bed. Half of the right-of-way lies in the 100?year flood plain.
Q:
How much would it cost to maintain Klingle Road for motor vehicles?
A:
DPW has provided no estimates, but it is likely to be much higher than maintaining most roads because of the road's steep grade and location in a flood plain. Historically Klingle Road was constantly in poor repair and was frequently closed after rainstorms.
Q:
How much would it cost to fix the drainage problems and remove the paved surface from Klingle Valley?
A:
DPW's preliminary estimate is $3 million.
Q:
Who would pay for any of the alternatives for Klingle Road that DPW is considering?
A:
Whether Klingle Road is rebuilt for motor vehicles or protected as parkland, either alternative is eligible for TEA 21 federal highway funds that would pay for 80% of the cost. The remaining 20% would be paid by the District of Columbia's taxpayers.
Q:
Have funds been earmarked for rebuilding Klingle Road for cars?
A:
No. They would come out of the same funds used to maintain other bridges and roads in the District of Columbia.
Q:
Does the District of Columbia have sufficient funds to repair its roads and bridges?
A:
No. DPW Acting Director Dan Tangherlini has stated that during the next two years, the need to repave roads will exhaust a $90 million cash reserve, after which the City Council will need to fund additional repairs to overcome years of neglect (8/11/20 Post, B1).
Q:
What effect would rebuilding Klingle Road have on repairing other roads in the District?
A:
If Klingle Road is rebuilt for motor vehicles, it is likely that repairs urgently needed in other parts of the city will not be performed because of the District's limited funds for road and bridge repairs. Many blocks of city streets could be resurfaced for the estimated cost of rebuilding Klingle Road.
Environment
Q:
How would rebuilding Klingle Road for motor vehicles affect Rock Creek Park?
A:
Rock Creek Park Superintendent Adrienne Coleman has publicly stated her opposition to a repaved Klingle Road. Unlike roadways near Rock Creek and the Potomac, there is no space for a pollution-absorbing strip of grass between Klingle Road and Klingle Creek. Thus runoff from the road would wash directly into the creek, worsening contamination of Rock Creek, the Potomac, and Chesapeake Bay. Rebuilding Klingle would also be completely at odds with a proposal endorsed by the Mayor and many City Council members to reduce the number of cars travelling through Rock Creek Park by closing portions of Beach Drive seven days a week.
Q:
What are the other likely environmental effects of rebuilding Klingle Road for motor vehicles?
A:
The noise, streetlights, and risk of being hit in the road would threaten the wildlife and plants in Klingle Valley, which is an extension of Rock Creek Park. Rebuilding the road also provides much easier access to the private land that fronts on the road, increasing the likelihood of development that would reduce further the tree canopy of the District of Columbia, which has suffered catastrophic damage in the past 30 years.
Q:
Have any groups objected to the environmental impact of rebuilding Klingle Road for cars?
A:
Yes. The National Park Service, Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, Audubon Society, Friends of Tregaron Foundation, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, and D.C. Road Runners Club all oppose any alternative that involves building a paved road.
Q:
Has DPW determined that Klingle would be an effective bike path?
A:
Yes. The March 1997 DPW "Transportation Plan for the District of Columbia" under the heading "7.17 ACTION ITEM: Bicycle Spine Network," refers to "Macomb
Street/Klingle Road Path, from Massachusetts Avenue to the Rock Creek Trail."
Safety
Q:
If rebuilt for use by motor vehicles, would Klingle Road be a safe road?
A:
No. Klingle Road is steep, narrow, has several very sharp curves, and falls off sharply into a creek bed on its south side. There was at least one confirmed fatal accident on Klingle in 1984, and there is anecdotal evidence from nearby residents that serious accidents occurred frequently before the road was closed in 1990.
Q:
Could these problems be corrected if Klingle were rebuilt?
A:
No. The right-of-way for the road is too narrow to permit less sharp curves or a gentler grade.
Q:
What if the road were rebuilt as a one-lane, one-way road for motor vehicles with bike and pedestrian paths beside it?
A:
A one-way road could be even more dangerous than a two-way road for motor vehicles only. A one-way road would increase the risk of head-on collisions caused by drivers going the wrong way on the road, particularly if the direction of the road alternated at rush hour. The one-way option would also introduce the risk that if a car lost control on the road it might hit pedestrians or cyclists, a risk not present if the road were rebuilt for use by motor vehicles only.
Q:
Would rebuilding Klingle Road for motor vehicles create any other risks to public safety?
A:
The western end of the closed portion of Klingle is within two blocks of three public and private schools (John Eaton Elementary, Washington International School, and Maret School). If the road were rebuilt for motor vehicles, it would add traffic to these already congested school zones, increasing the risk that a child might be hit by a car.
Q:
Do the police and fire departments and other emergency services need Klingle Road rebuilt?
A:
No. None of the emergency services have stated that there is any need to rebuild Klingle Road. There is no evidence that it provides any public safety benefits.
Q:
Has closing Klingle Road to motor vehicles promoted criminal activity along the former road?
A:
The police have recorded no assaults or more serious crimes along Klingle Road since 1990.
Public use
Q: If Klingle Road is not rebuilt for motor vehicles, will it still be open to the public?
A: Klingle Valley is open to people right now. Since it was closed to motor vehicles in 1990, cyclists, runners, walkers, dog owners, and nature lovers have used Klingle Valley regularly.
Q: Do we need to rebuild Klingle Road to create more links across Rock Creek Park?
A: No. There are numerous routes for motor vehicles to enter and cross Rock Creek Park. Klingle offers one of the few routes for pedestrians and cyclists to safely enter the park. People can't speak to one another when they are closed into cars, but they can when they are out on foot or bicycles. Protecting parkland where people can meet and talk is a better way to promote better relations among Washington's residents than building another parkway.
Q: Don't pedestrians and cyclists already have ways to enter Rock Creek Park?
A: Other routes across the park either lack sidewalks or bike lanes (Military Road, Broad Branch Road/Blagden Avenue, Piney Branch Pkwy., Tilden Street/Park Road), or are bridges that offer either no access (Massachusetts and Connecticut Ave. bridges) or access from only the west side of the park (Calvert St.). Pedestrian access to Klingle Valley and the park could be enhanced further by building stairs down into Klingle Valley from the north side of the Glover Bridge, which carries Connecticut Ave. over Klingle Valley.
Q: Couldn't Klingle Road be rebuilt with bicycle and pedestrian paths alongside it?
A: DPW has stated this option will not "be carried forward for further detailed consideration. . . . due to the limited amount of right-of-way to accommodate both pedestrian and bikeway facilities as well as traffic" (Nov. 30, 2000 DPW "Progress Report: The Klingle Road Project," p. 3).
Q: Would the decision not to rebuild Klingle Road for cars benefit citizens who live near Klingle Valley?
A: It would benefit all citizens of Washington who want to protect and enhance access to Rock Creek Park.
