NPS: Ban Cars Now in DC Urban Parks

[Anonymous]

We just lost two pedestrians to careless driving in Hains Point this weekend: Rhonda Whitaker and Waldon Adams. The couple were African American homeless advocates in their 50s/60s, just out for a stroll.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-woman-hit-and-killed-at-hains-point-were-tireless-advocates-for-ending-homelessness/ar-BB1g4WPW

I posted last week about getting cars out of the National Arboretum to some degree of ridicule. I think this demonstrates that DC needs to have more car-free urban spaces. Our NPS parks are urban parks, and need to be reserved for pedestrians, bikers, and wheelchairs. Nobody needs to "tour nature" in Hains Point by a car. The fact that Hains Point (and the Arboretum) don't even have protected bike/pedestrian lanes on the parts that they share with cars is completely absurd. Apparently Anacostia Park (also NPS) has the same issue.

[Anonymous]

If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

[Anonymous]

I agree. There could easily be a parking lot near the entrance for seniors/people with disabilities.

It would open up the space for those same people to get around by airbags means without fear of being killed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

[jsteele]

I just came back from a 4 mile walk, half of which was on the closed portion of Beach Drive. I support CM Cheh's effort to keep it closed:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

Speed bumps are good and there’s no reason half the road shouldn’t be allocated to bikes and peds. Hains point is predominantly used for fishing and picnicking, though. These are both things that you need to haul stuff to. I agree there’s no reason for the road to be two lanes for cars. One lane is plenty.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:I just came back from a 4 mile walk, half of which was on the closed portion of Beach Drive. I support CM Cheh's effort to keep it closed:

yes, that's what I'm talking about! That volume of users is incredible. I have no doubt that a Hains Point census would also show that non-car users dominate, and that most trips by car can be accomodated by the northern parking lots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

Speed bumps are good and there’s no reason half the road shouldn’t be allocated to bikes and peds. Hains point is predominantly used for fishing and picnicking, though. These are both things that you need to haul stuff to. I agree there’s no reason for the road to be two lanes for cars. One lane is plenty.

Do you have any evidence to show that people hauling fishing poles is the predominate use of Hains Point? They can park in the northern parking lots and walk to where they want to go, or take a shuttle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

Speed bumps are good and there’s no reason half the road shouldn’t be allocated to bikes and peds. Hains point is predominantly used for fishing and picnicking, though. These are both things that you need to haul stuff to. I agree there’s no reason for the road to be two lanes for cars. One lane is plenty.

Do you have any evidence to show that people hauling fishing poles is the predominate use of Hains Point? They can park in the northern parking lots and walk to where they want to go, or take a shuttle.

Have you been there? It’s picnics, people fishing, and cyclists doing speed trials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

Speed bumps are good and there’s no reason half the road shouldn’t be allocated to bikes and peds. Hains point is predominantly used for fishing and picnicking, though. These are both things that you need to haul stuff to. I agree there’s no reason for the road to be two lanes for cars. One lane is plenty.

Do you have any evidence to show that people hauling fishing poles is the predominate use of Hains Point? They can park in the northern parking lots and walk to where they want to go, or take a shuttle.

Have you been there? It’s picnics, people fishing, and cyclists doing speed trials.

yes, I've been there. The number of people fishing is far outnumbered by people doing other things. And one usage does not justify letting the whole thing be dominated by cars. The NPS doesn't let cars drive all over other National Parks - they are preserved as natural spaces to see on foot. National Park space in a city is even more precious to preserve as natural and car-free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

Speed bumps are good and there’s no reason half the road shouldn’t be allocated to bikes and peds. Hains point is predominantly used for fishing and picnicking, though. These are both things that you need to haul stuff to. I agree there’s no reason for the road to be two lanes for cars. One lane is plenty.

Do you have any evidence to show that people hauling fishing poles is the predominate use of Hains Point? They can park in the northern parking lots and walk to where they want to go, or take a shuttle.

Have you been there? It’s picnics, people fishing, and cyclists doing speed trials.

yes, I've been there. The number of people fishing is far outnumbered by people doing other things. And one usage does not justify letting the whole thing be dominated by cars. The NPS doesn't let cars drive all over other National Parks - they are preserved as natural spaces to see on foot. National Park space in a city is even more precious to preserve as natural and car-free.

The majority of the people on the playground, picnicking, and fishing on a given day drove there and parked their car. The closest realistic shut off point for traffic would be a 3 mile round trip to the point. You aren’t going to be able to get NPS to close this road. Maybe you could close one side and make the remaining side two way instead of a one way loop. That way people could walk or bike on the other side without cars.

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree wholeheartedly.

JS, absolutely. That would be absolutely fantastic. I'm impressed with those councilmembers for that initiative.

I also wish there was a better network of bike-safe ways to get *to* beach drive for leisure. I live less than 3 miles away, and getting my kids into Rock Creek Park on their bikes is not a relaxing activity.
Same for Hane's point and the Arboretum, but we're far enough away that the lack of bike accessibility is less egregious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

Why should pedestrians and bikers get a tiny sliver, and cars dominate? I am in favor of allowing parking in proximity to some picnic grounds, then closing the rest. Run a shuttle if necessary. If they have to have cars, then put in a speed bump every 20 feet to maintain a 10mph speed limit.

People need to internalize that cars don't get to dominate every single public space.

Speed bumps are good and there’s no reason half the road shouldn’t be allocated to bikes and peds. Hains point is predominantly used for fishing and picnicking, though. These are both things that you need to haul stuff to. I agree there’s no reason for the road to be two lanes for cars. One lane is plenty.

Do you have any evidence to show that people hauling fishing poles is the predominate use of Hains Point? They can park in the northern parking lots and walk to where they want to go, or take a shuttle.

Have you been there? It’s picnics, people fishing, and cyclists doing speed trials.

yes, I've been there. The number of people fishing is far outnumbered by people doing other things. And one usage does not justify letting the whole thing be dominated by cars. The NPS doesn't let cars drive all over other National Parks - they are preserved as natural spaces to see on foot. National Park space in a city is even more precious to preserve as natural and car-free.

The majority of the people on the playground, picnicking, and fishing on a given day drove there and parked their car. The closest realistic shut off point for traffic would be a 3 mile round trip to the point. You aren’t going to be able to get NPS to close this road. Maybe you could close one side and make the remaining side two way instead of a one way loop. That way people could walk or bike on the other side without cars.

No, sorry. It's not a drive-through park. People can park in the northern parking lots and walk. It's really ok to walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you close it the walk from Buckeye drive to Hains point is 1.5 miles. I would recommend sidewalks instead.

I'm fine with that, as long as you make the sidewalk 20 feet wide and the road no more than 8 feet wide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree wholeheartedly.

JS, absolutely. That would be absolutely fantastic. I'm impressed with those councilmembers for that initiative.

I also wish there was a better network of bike-safe ways to get *to* beach drive for leisure. I live less than 3 miles away, and getting my kids into Rock Creek Park on their bikes is not a relaxing activity.
Same for Hane's point and the Arboretum, but we're far enough away that the lack of bike accessibility is less egregious.

The best way I've found for accessing Beach Drive is to park in Crestwood and use Blagden Avenue. There's a sidewalk there you can bike on. It's too narrow and a little unpleasant, but it works.