why are cars allowed in the National Arbortetum? Why? Why? WHYYYY?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Went to the arboretum today. We drove there (it's the only way to get there for us). Parked by the R Street entrance. Walked to a picnic spot, enjoyed a nice lunch we brought in. Had a bit of time left, but we'd seen the azaleas recently, so we hopped back in the car and drove to the Asian collection, parked, and had a nice time walking all the way down to the Anacostia and exploring all the paths. Wonderful visit. We spent maybe 8 minutes in the car within the park, versus almost 2 hours walking around and enjoying the park.

That's why cars are permitted in the park. The vast majority of people use them solely to get to different parts of the park. If you go during peak season and peak hours (so basically, the weekend between April and June), you might see more cars driving around and it might be less pleasant. But that's so rare. We have a tree near the bonsai gardens we've been picnicking under for years. It's far from any of the roads in the park and we can sit there for hours and not hear or even see vehicles. The only places I ever encounter cars in an unpleasant way is walking around the big open area around the Capitol Columns -- there is very little traffic elsewhere in the park.

Now, banning vehicles from the mall, which is well served by public transportation and can be really badly impacted by traffic congestion? That I'd probably get on board with. Heck, I'd get on board with it at the arboretum if it was well served by metro or bus, and there was a well-maintained shuttle that would take you to the more distant parts of the park. Maybe OP should work on developing a program like that if this is important to them. I would support it! But without infrastructure, I'm going to keep taking my car to the arboretum so that I can actually enjoy the arboretum.

+1 This is how I feel exactly. Until they develop a better system of shuttles and transportation, the place is too big to keep completely car-free. The Mall I definitely think could be a pedestrian/bike/scooter only zone, maybe with shuttles running to the various museums. Wouldn't that be great?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to the arboretum today. We drove there (it's the only way to get there for us). Parked by the R Street entrance. Walked to a picnic spot, enjoyed a nice lunch we brought in. Had a bit of time left, but we'd seen the azaleas recently, so we hopped back in the car and drove to the Asian collection, parked, and had a nice time walking all the way down to the Anacostia and exploring all the paths. Wonderful visit. We spent maybe 8 minutes in the car within the park, versus almost 2 hours walking around and enjoying the park.

That's why cars are permitted in the park. The vast majority of people use them solely to get to different parts of the park. If you go during peak season and peak hours (so basically, the weekend between April and June), you might see more cars driving around and it might be less pleasant. But that's so rare. We have a tree near the bonsai gardens we've been picnicking under for years. It's far from any of the roads in the park and we can sit there for hours and not hear or even see vehicles. The only places I ever encounter cars in an unpleasant way is walking around the big open area around the Capitol Columns -- there is very little traffic elsewhere in the park.

Now, banning vehicles from the mall, which is well served by public transportation and can be really badly impacted by traffic congestion? That I'd probably get on board with. Heck, I'd get on board with it at the arboretum if it was well served by metro or bus, and there was a well-maintained shuttle that would take you to the more distant parts of the park. Maybe OP should work on developing a program like that if this is important to them. I would support it! But without infrastructure, I'm going to keep taking my car to the arboretum so that I can actually enjoy the arboretum.

+1 This is how I feel exactly. Until they develop a better system of shuttles and transportation, the place is too big to keep completely car-free. The Mall I definitely think could be a pedestrian/bike/scooter only zone, maybe with shuttles running to the various museums. Wouldn't that be great?

OP here. Cars should be confined to the minimal amount of road necessary to get between the 3 main parking lots, along an exterior ring route. “car touring” the arboretum shouldn’t be a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Went to the arboretum today. We drove there (it's the only way to get there for us). Parked by the R Street entrance. Walked to a picnic spot, enjoyed a nice lunch we brought in. Had a bit of time left, but we'd seen the azaleas recently, so we hopped back in the car and drove to the Asian collection, parked, and had a nice time walking all the way down to the Anacostia and exploring all the paths. Wonderful visit. We spent maybe 8 minutes in the car within the park, versus almost 2 hours walking around and enjoying the park.

That's why cars are permitted in the park. The vast majority of people use them solely to get to different parts of the park. If you go during peak season and peak hours (so basically, the weekend between April and June), you might see more cars driving around and it might be less pleasant. But that's so rare. We have a tree near the bonsai gardens we've been picnicking under for years. It's far from any of the roads in the park and we can sit there for hours and not hear or even see vehicles. The only places I ever encounter cars in an unpleasant way is walking around the big open area around the Capitol Columns -- there is very little traffic elsewhere in the park.

Now, banning vehicles from the mall, which is well served by public transportation and can be really badly impacted by traffic congestion? That I'd probably get on board with. Heck, I'd get on board with it at the arboretum if it was well served by metro or bus, and there was a well-maintained shuttle that would take you to the more distant parts of the park. Maybe OP should work on developing a program like that if this is important to them. I would support it! But without infrastructure, I'm going to keep taking my car to the arboretum so that I can actually enjoy the arboretum.

+1 This is how I feel exactly. Until they develop a better system of shuttles and transportation, the place is too big to keep completely car-free. The Mall I definitely think could be a pedestrian/bike/scooter only zone, maybe with shuttles running to the various museums. Wouldn't that be great?

OP here. Cars should be confined to the minimal amount of road necessary to get between the 3 main parking lots, along an exterior ring route. “car touring” the arboretum shouldn’t be a thing.

Grateful that you are so vocal in expressing your opinion. Sometimes however people are just not going to agree with you and for justifiable reasons. It’s good to recognize this and accept outcomes that are maybe not what you think are ideal because if you don’t - and I don’t think you fully get this - you are a local crank. No one should aspire to be a local crank, so be careful.

[Anonymous]

I'm stunned that in this day and age so many people can get so self-righteous while completely forgetting about individuals with mobility impairments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, the whiners won and now the cars are restricted and there's only a handful of overcrowded parking lots, meaning if for example you want to see the Asian collection you're probably going to pass a few full lots and end up at the big lot by the State Trees and have to walk a mile plus to see them.

:/

Sounds like an ADA violation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t they use to require you to take the tram in most areas? Did the eliminate the tram?

Tram? I thought people used the Circulator to get around??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t they use to require you to take the tram in most areas? Did the eliminate the tram?

Tram? I thought people used the Circulator to get around??

They eliminated the tram.