NPS: Beach Drive May Stay Closed to Traffic During the Summer

[Anonymous]

https://dcist.com/story/22/07/11/dc-beach-drive-closed-traffic-summer/

The old thread on this subject is locked so I am starting a new one.

And I am PO at NPS.
If NYC can close Central Park to auto traffic, we should be able to do the same here at Beach Blvd.

Discuss

[Anonymous]

Also Wash Post article here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/07/11/beach-drive-dc-car-free/

[Anonymous]

Did they remove the tree that fell over the weekend?

Of course it should stay closed. If they care at all about pedestrian and bicycle safety.

[Anonymous]

It just needs to be reopened permanently. The continued weekend closure is fine and makes sense. The “compromise” is just political face saving because NPS knows that it is getting little use during weekdays to justify this. Permanent closure of Beach Drive also imperils the proposed Connecticut Ave bike lane, because the studies have relied on Beach Drive being open to justify the loss of a traffic lane. Time to get back to normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just needs to be reopened permanently. The continued weekend closure is fine and makes sense. The “compromise” is just political face saving because NPS knows that it is getting little use during weekdays to justify this. Permanent closure of Beach Drive also imperils the proposed Connecticut Ave bike lane, because the studies have relied on Beach Drive being open to justify the loss of a traffic lane. Time to get back to normal.

Actually one justification for NPS is that "there were too many people in the park" and that the people were ruining the park.

And I could care less if the streets are lightly used with automobiles.
It's a park!

One of my all time great experiences in a park was Hyde Park in London. NO CARS. Grass that went on forever. It was so wonderful

[Anonymous]

I think that if they close off Beach then no bikes should be allowed on CT ave and 16th st.

[Anonymous]

I think people misunderstand the proposal. It's not all of Beach, just Beach north of Joyce Road. Bikes can't all of a sudden take Beach from Maryland to P street if the closure is made permanent. And it's not going to affect your commute.

Basically: everybody calm down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just needs to be reopened permanently. The continued weekend closure is fine and makes sense. The “compromise” is just political face saving because NPS knows that it is getting little use during weekdays to justify this. Permanent closure of Beach Drive also imperils the proposed Connecticut Ave bike lane, because the studies have relied on Beach Drive being open to justify the loss of a traffic lane. Time to get back to normal.

It's a national park and parkway not a commuter route. Closing it permanently aligns with NPS's role and mission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just needs to be reopened permanently. The continued weekend closure is fine and makes sense. The “compromise” is just political face saving because NPS knows that it is getting little use during weekdays to justify this. Permanent closure of Beach Drive also imperils the proposed Connecticut Ave bike lane, because the studies have relied on Beach Drive being open to justify the loss of a traffic lane. Time to get back to normal.

I agree - it's insane. Plus, it just puts more cars on the neighborhood streets. I would much rather have no reversible lanes and bike lanes on Connecticut with an open Beach drive then the opposite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just needs to be reopened permanently. The continued weekend closure is fine and makes sense. The “compromise” is just political face saving because NPS knows that it is getting little use during weekdays to justify this. Permanent closure of Beach Drive also imperils the proposed Connecticut Ave bike lane, because the studies have relied on Beach Drive being open to justify the loss of a traffic lane. Time to get back to normal.

It's a national park and parkway not a commuter route. Closing it permanently aligns with NPS's role and mission.

Not necessarily. Very few roads are permanently closed in NPS (Zion and Denali) - though plans are in place for a few more. But those are the super busy & popular parks with limited parking. Even parks like Acadia, Glacier and Yosemite still allow cars through all roads. I don't think we need a shuttle bus system yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just needs to be reopened permanently. The continued weekend closure is fine and makes sense. The “compromise” is just political face saving because NPS knows that it is getting little use during weekdays to justify this. Permanent closure of Beach Drive also imperils the proposed Connecticut Ave bike lane, because the studies have relied on Beach Drive being open to justify the loss of a traffic lane. Time to get back to normal.

I agree - it's insane. Plus, it just puts more cars on the neighborhood streets. I would much rather have no reversible lanes and bike lanes on Connecticut with an open Beach drive then the opposite.

NPS doesn't put cars anywhere. Commuters have agency to choose what they want to do. If they choose to drive through neighborhood streets then that's an issue that needs to be addressed with them. Perhaps we need to shift things more so that people can make better choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that if they close off Beach then no bikes should be allowed on CT ave and 16th st.

Bikes are already banned from highways. That's all you get.

[Anonymous]

It should be closed permanently. This result is rather shocking, given Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mayor Bowser, the ANCs and Councilmembers, as well as 85% of the public comments were also in support of permanent closure.

[Anonymous]

I like to think of it as opening it to people walking, biking, etc. It's much better when open to people than closed off for driving only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people misunderstand the proposal. It's not all of Beach, just Beach north of Joyce Road. Bikes can't all of a sudden take Beach from Maryland to P street if the closure is made permanent. And it's not going to affect your commute.

Basically: everybody calm down.

Yup. Just the portion that affects Maryland residents of the national park. Not the portion that affects DC resident users of the national park. No biggie. Unless you are a Maryland resident who wants to use the national park.