Ten Reasons to Limit Automobile Traffic in Rock Creek Park

Rock Creek Park was created by Congress in 1890 as "a public park and pleasure ground" with the purpose of "preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, animals, or curiosities within said park, and their retention in their natural condition, as nearly as possible." Yet, over the years, the Park has been allowed to become a superhighway for commuters, at the expense of its recreational and natural resources. Here are ten reasons why we should limit automobile traffic in Rock Creek Park:

  1. Beach Drive, the "backbone" of Rock Creek Park, was designed to safely accommodate about 8000 vehicles per day. Now, on weekdays, it sees volumes of up to 24,000 vehicles.

  2. Excessive automobile traffic contributes to air pollution, noise, damage to vegetation, and the killing of wild animals, thereby diminishing the park experience for recreational visitors. Certain species such as box turtle and skunk have been virtually eliminated by high-speed motorists.

  3. Rock Creek Park is alive with people on weekends, especially where roads are closed to motor vehicles. On weekdays, however, such recreational use is precluded in the Rock Creek Valley by heavy commuter traffic. Rock Creek Park could come alive with recreation on weekdays, too -- particularly in mornings and evenings -- if only its roads weren't overwhelmed by automobiles. Carefully managed traffic controls can improve access for all Park users.

  4. The scenic "Boulder Bridge" section of Beach Drive is better suited to strollers, skaters, and cyclists than to automobiles. This popular center of recreational activity during weekend road closures resembles a road-race course during weekday rush hours, with nine substandard curves contributing to its high accident rate. At least one of the "boulders" of the historic bridge is missing, probably due to a collision. Heavy traffic and poor visibility preclude all but the most daring cyclists from using the only flat route from the north into downtown Washington.

  5. Park Police report that approximately 98% of all motor vehicles exceed park speed limits, sometimes reaching speeds of 60 mph, about double the legal speed limit. Enforcement of speed limits is hampered by limited resources and lack of pull-offs.

  6. Excessive traffic accelerates roadway deterioration, diverting funds from other priorities such as enhancement of the Park's recreational and cultural resources. Park roads are regularly maintained while paved trails have fallen into disrepair.

  7. Existing traffic policies not only damage Rock Creek Park, but they are also dangerous and costly. The reversing of traffic patterns for rush hour on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway four times daily is labor intensive and dangerous to motorists and Park Police. Moreover, limiting traffic to one direction for five hours each day is inconsistent with the Parkway's statutory purpose of "connecting Potomac Park with the Zoological Park and Rock Creek Park."

  8. Excessive commuter traffic not only hurts the Park but also diverts passengers and revenues from Metro. Both sides of Metro's Red Line parallel Beach Drive and provide efficient access to downtown from Northwest D.C. and Montgomery County.

  9. Transportation studies demonstrate that partial closure of Beach Drive would not significantly increase traffic congestion on alternative commuter routes such as 16th Street and Connecticut Avenue. Traffic experts acknowledge that the 1990 closure of the Zoo Tunnel for repairs did not result in feared traffic congestion on other routes.

  10. The Washington area is currently exceeds national air quality standards for smog, largely because of automobile traffic. The National Park Service should join local governments in adopting policies that encourage clean transportation alternatives such as bicycling, mass transit, and car pooling in order to help our region to meet health-based clean air standards by 2003 as required by federal law.

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