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FAQ's Why a Park? The Environment Get Involved Current Events Contact
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Dec 13 2001- Mayor Anthony Williams took a courageous stand on Klingle Valley today, announcing his decision to reopen the 0.7 mile section of Klingle Road NW, between Porter Street and Cortland Place, for pedestrians, bicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles. See the Mayor's Press release.
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Dec 18 2001 Councilmember Harold Brazil today announced in his electronic newsletter that he support's the Mayor's decision on Klingle Valley Park. Park Supporters
rejoice at Mayor's Decision to keep Klingle Valley a Park.
Dec 18 2001- Adams Morgan ANC1C held a forum on Klingle Valley Park last night, allowing a small non-ANC1C-resident pro-road contingent, along with over 20 resident park supporters to weigh in on KIingle. A vote on whether to support the Mayor's position should be coming Jan. 2. Chairman Miscuk said that he had heard more constituent feedback on Klingle than any other issue in his tenure, and that support for the park was overwhelming. Dec 14 2001Councilmember Phil Mendelson announces his support for the Mayor's position on Klingle Valley Park. See his Press Release. Park cleanup and nature walk on October 27, 2001
Arborist Keith Pitchford talking about the trees and plants of Klingle Valley on our nature walk.
Park Service pledges to refuse permit in Klingle valley if park trees are felled. Rock Creek Park's Superintendent Adrienne Coleman, speaking on WAMU, said that if trees in the park would have to be cut down for a road, she would refuse to provide a permit for the use of park property. She criticized plans to build a paved two-lane road, citing the environmental damage that it would cause to Klingle Valley and Rock Creek Parks. The refusal means that DC may still be able to build a one-lane road with a bike path. But a paved one-lane road will still cause enormous environmental harm. Please let the Mayor know you want Klingle Valley Park preserved as a Park and not a road! Listen to the broadcast: http://www.wamu.org/news/daily/010907.html Citizens’ Groups Urge Mayor Williams to Adopt “Soft D” Option for Klingle Valley Sept. 7, 2001 – Klingle Valley Park Association and East of the Park for Klingle Valley today urged Mayor Williams to convert the washed-out portion of Klingle Road into a bike/hike path. The Save Klingle Valley coalition advocates adopting a modified version of Option D in the feasibility study that was released on Sept. 5th by the Department of Public Works. Option D proposes a bike/hike path with a paved hard-surface, whereas Save Klingle Valley coalition proposes using a “soft” water-permeable bike/hike path that is environmentally friendly. The feasibility study evaluated the environmental, transportation, and financial aspects of seven different options for restoring the washed-out portion of Klingle Road between Cortland Place and Porter Street. Although the study did not recommend any single option, it offered ample evidence that all three options that involve rebuilding a paved road in Klingle Valley (Options E-G) would:
“Rebuilding a paved road in Klingle Valley would be a boondoggle” said Beth Daley, a spokesperson for the Klingle Valley groups. “The feasibility study concluded that Klingle Road is too small to relieve traffic congestion. We should spend our tax dollars on roads that matter, and that don’t harm the environment.” The DPW feasibility study stated that: “Reopening Klingle Road would produce negligible long-term beneficial impacts to traffic congestion or safety at surrounding intersections.” Even Option G, the least expensive paved road option, would cost $3.5 million, more than three times the $1.1 million cost estimate for a bike path, and more than double the $1.45 million cost of resurfacing a comparable length of Porter Street between Connecticut Avenue and Reno Road. Neither the police nor fire department say that they need Klingle Road rebuilt to carry emergency vehicles. One of the most significant documents in the study, though, may have been an August 13, 2001 letter to DPW from the Superintendent of Rock Creek Park, Adrienne Coleman. Superintendent Coleman’s letter stated that it is not possible to rebuild Klingle Road without causing further environmental harm to Klingle Valley, because any stormwater management facilities for the road will be inadequate to prevent continuing degradation to the soil and vegetation along Klingle Creek. Moreover, Superintendent Coleman stated that to build the stormwater management systems necessary to prevent Klingle Road from washing out again, the District would have to exceed its right-of-way and encroach on National Park Service land. The letter stated that NPS will not permit the District to use NPS land for road or storm water purposes because it would be environmentally destructive. The study confirms Ms. Coleman’s view that building any paved road in Klingle Valley would:
“As Mayor Williams said recently, ‘Let trees be’” said Nadia Steinzor, another Klingle Valley groups spokesperson. “We need to save Klingle Valley, not pave it.” COUNCILMEMBER KEVIN P. CHAVOUS OPPOSES THE RE-OPENING OF KLINGLE ROAD July 12th WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Councilmember Kevin Chavous today announced that he supports the restoration of Klingle Valley as parkland, and the closure of Klingle Road to vehicular traffic. "Solutions to the City's traffic problems lie not in creating shortcuts through neighborhoods, but through sound planning and engineering that keeps vehicles moving swiftly along arterial roads," Chavous stated. "Green spaces like Klingle Valley and the upper Anacostia River are jewels that must be preserved in a natural condition for future generations of Washingtonians," he added.
See Dr. Gridlock's latest series of letters from July
11th Here is a comment letter about Dr. Gridlock from an East of the Park for Klingle member: Dr. Gridlock asks, "What about the increased traffic on nearby streets that would be diverted from a permanently closed Klingle Road? Is that fair to the residents of the area?" First of all this question completely discounts the concerns raised in the three letters by environmentalists. These letters make a very strong case that failing to protect Klingle Valley from motor vehicles and pavement would be an unfair environmental burden to the millions of residents of the metropolitan area. Secondly, this question ignores the conclusions of the Berger report that was produced for the Department of Public Works last November. The report states, "This traffic congestion [on east-west roads] 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." Someone with the pseudonym of Dr. Gridlock ought to be aware that the number of trips being made by automobile in the D.C. area is projected to continue rising rapidly. Spend millions to rebuild Klingle Road, and the traffic on Porter Street and other roads may temporarily lessen somewhat, but because of the increasing number of trips being made by automobile, it will quickly return to the current level and thereafter exceed it.
Essentially, rebuilding Klingle can not and will not
address the problems of increased traffic on nearby streets in any
meaningful way. Only a city-wide and region-wide approach that seeks to
increase our transportation choices, and halt and ultimately reverse the
increase in motor-vehicle traffic volume, will help the residents of
streets nearby Klingle Valley.
Addressing our traffic problems constructively is the fairest
alternative: we can help the beleagured residents of overused streets AND
protect the environment that is vital to us all. Let's implement a
non-automotive green space alternative in Klingle Valley and move as
quickly as we can from this counter-productive debate to seriously
addressing our transportation needs. Vicki Linton
A banner which appeared on Earth Day flies proudly over Klingle Valley, carrying its message to all who bike, jog or hike the former road. The banner, hanging from a girder beneath the bridge on Connecticut Avenue, appeared on the morning of April 22, Earth Day.
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