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FAQ's Why a Park? The Environment Get Involved Current Events Contact
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| Supporters of Klingle Park | |||
| DC Mayor Anthony Williams Mayor Anthony Williams took a courageous stand for the environment on Dec 13 2001, calling for the washed out section of Klingle Road to be kept for runners, bikers, walkers, and emergency vehicles. . See the Mayor's Press release. |
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The Sierra Club - New
Columbia Chapter For over five years, the Sierra Club has been working to close Klingle to motor vehicles and to keep it a natural and recreational resource. The Sierra Club has over 2000 active members in DC. PDF letter of support (32k) |
 New Columbia Chapter |
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Adrienne Coleman, the Superintendent of Rock Creek Park, has objected to rebuilding a paved road in Klingle Valley as “environmentally destructive” to trees and soil on NPS land. The letter (Berger report Appendix A) said it is not possible to rebuild Klingle Road for cars without causing further environmental harm to Klingle Valley: "The suggestion that Klingle Road could be built with adequate storm water management facilities to protect the valley is not supported by any studies to date. We do not believe that studies could be developed to support that conclusion. We firmly believe that the construction of the necessary storm water management and sewage systems which would be required by the reconstruction of Klingle Road will exceed the land within the road right-of-way. Use of park land for road or storm water purposes either in the form of direct or indirect use would be environmentally destructive, and therefore, cannot be permitted by the National Park Service." |
National Park Service - Rock
Creek Park
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| The Committee of 100
on the Federal City February 20, 2003 Resolution concerning Klingle Valley/Road Be it resolved: (1) The Mayor's decision of December 13,
2001 to close Klingle Road in Rock Creek Park to automobile
traffic and
(3) A study of park issues that affect those living near Rock Creek, including non-automobile access to the Park." |
The Committee |
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The National Capital Planning Commission commented on Klingle Valley, stating that it supports the concerns of the National Park Service about the effects of rebuilding Klingle Road on Rock Creek Park (4/3/00 letter in Appendix A of the Berger Report). The NCPC letter stated that the basic ecosystem of the park is “increasingly stressed and degraded.” "The commission staff wishes to support the concerns of the National Park Service relative to potential impacts to the park....All Eastern tributaries of Rock Creek have been paved over in past years. Rock Creek has water quality problems relating to over 200 outfalls in the stream. Uncontrolled runoff and larger volumes of flow, due to reduced infiltration and increased piping of runoff, have scoured Rock Creek instream habitat...the Klingle Road alignment area presents a unique opportunity to offset urbanization impacts that are increasingly affecting the basic ecosystem of the Park... We strongly request that assessment of land area be directed toward limited impervious pavement areas within the alignment and that the most compatible form of access, if necessary, be determined in association with the National Park Service" |
The National Capital Planning Commission provides overall planning guidance for federal and district agencies and is responsible for preserving the unique beauty and historic design that have made Washington one of the most admired capital cities in the world. |
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| The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) has supported keeping Klingle as a greenspace since the issue was first considered. WABA has over 7000 active members in the Washington Area. PDF letter of support (225k) | |||
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Kevin Chavous - Ward 7
Kathy Patterson - Ward 3
Jack Evans - Ward 2
Sharon Ambrose - Ward 6
Phil Mendelson - At-Large
Harold Brazil - At-Large After a decade of debate and study, Klingle Road will remain closed to vehicular traffic and transformed into a recreational trail for pedestrians and bikers. "It just didn’t make financial sense, at this point, to reopen this small stretch of road," stated Brazil. Repair and maintenance costs were estimated at $5 million dollars. "And there are much less expensive ways to improve traffic flow, such as the calibrating the traffic lights, that can help ease congestion without a significant financial investment," he continued. |
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| The DC
Audubon Society PDF
The American Lands
Alliance PDF DC Road Runners PDF |
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