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  The Cause


Environmental Assessment

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND SOILS - BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Wetlands
Wildlife
Threatened and Endangered Species
Water resources
Stream Morphology
Stormwater and Sewer Conveyances
Water Quality
Floodplain Encroachment
Hazardous Materials
Air Quality
Noise
Land Use
Zoning

SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Population
Income
Environmental Justice
Public Services and Utilities
Cultural Resources

TRAFFIC

OVERVIEW OF ALTERNATIVES
ALTERNATIVE A: THE NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE
ALTERNATIVE B: NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE
ALTERNATIVE C: GREEN SPACE ALTERNATIVE
ALTERNATIVE D: BIKE RECREATION AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVE E: REBUILD KLINGLE ROAD TO ITS ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT
ALTERNATIVE F : BUILD KLINGLE ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE VEHICULAR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE USES
ALTERNATIVE G: BUILD KLINGLE ROAD AS A ONE LANE, ONE-WAY ROAD AND A PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE LANE

DEAR FRIENDS,
Welcome
to the second public meeting for the Klingle Road Project. The first meeting, held on March 15, 2000, was an informational meeting to inform the public about the Klingle Road Project and alternatives under consideration. The meeting was very successful in obtaining public opinion towards the project itself and the proposed draft alternatives. Since this meeting the District of Columbia's Division of Transportation has heard from more than 400 people through standard U.S. mail, electronic mail, and by telephone.

The purpose of tonight's public meeting is to present the draft final project alternatives, discuss technical data that has been studied to date, and to give the public an opportunity to voice their interests and concerns, on public record, regarding the closed portion of Klingle Road, the project alternatives, and its baseline environmental data. In the following pages you will find information pertaining to the Klingle Road Project, including a list of draft final project alternatives and information that has been collected on these alternatives. This information includes a description of the environmental and social attributes associated with the baseline data for the project area.

This report contains a great deal of information and we appreciate the time you can spend reading this preliminary material and responding with your comments. Enclosed in the back of this report you will find a comment sheet which may be used for your response or any other concerns. You may also submit your comments by using the following email address klingle_road_study@dpw.dcgov.org. All comments must be returned by December 30th, 2000. At the end of comment period all comments will be reviewed and analyzed by the Department of Transportation and will be taken into consideration during the Klingle Road Project decision making process.

Thank you for your continued interest in the planning effort for the section of Klingle Road currently closed to traffic. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Ken G Laden
Administrator, Office of Intermodal Planning 

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

Klingle Road is located in northwest Washington, DC and runs west to northeast from the Washington National cathedral to Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park. Klingle Road is listed as a collector for vehicular traffic on the District of Columbia's Functional Classification Map. Collectors serve a variety of functions, including providing direct access to major traffic generators and collect and distribute traffic in residential and commercial areas. The segment of Klingle Road between Porter Street, N.W. and Cortland Place {approximate designations) was closed to traffic in 1990 due to deterioration of the roadway related to drainage failure. This segment of Klingle Road was never officially closed through an administrative action; however, this portion of the road remains closed to vehicular traffic. Failure of the drainage system has resulted in severe deterioration of the roadway, headwalls, and underlying stormwater system. In August 1991, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration {FHWA) issued a Final Programmatic Section 4{f) Evaluation and Approval for Klingle Road, N.W. from Woodley Road to Porter Street, NW in anticipation of a reconstruction project for the closed portion of Klingle Road. Reconstruction of the roadway and associated infrastructure was initiated at that time but later cancelled. Klingle Road remains a right-of-way on the federal-aid system. The District of Columbia, Department of Public Works, District Division of Transportation {DDOT) is responsible for the maintenance of Klingle Road.

In August 1999, The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (Berger) was contracted by the DDOT to evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic attributes for the project alternatives pertaining to the closed section of Klingle Road. As part of this process, Berger identified potential uses, or alternatives, for the Klingle Road right-of-way, which are included in the following section of this brochure. Berger's evaluation will be one of several tools used in the decision making process for the future use of the closed section of Klingle Road. 

OVERVIEW OF ALTERNATIVES
Based on information provided by the DDOT, agency review, and public input, several alternatives are being considered as part of the Klingle Road Project. To date, no preferred alternative has been selected by the DDOT. The following is a list of the Project alternatives:

ALTERNATIVE A: THE NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE
The "no-action" alternative for transportation projects typically only includes short-term minor restoration types of activities such as safety and maintenance improvements that serve to maintain continuing operation of the existing roadway. Under the "no-action" alternative, Klingle Road would remain in its current closed condition. The DDOT would continue to be responsible for maintaining this stretch of roadway. Under this alternative, it is assumed that the only action taken on the closed portion of Klingle Road would be to repair the overturned retaining walls to avoid further collapse of the pavement.

ALTERNATIVE B: NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE
This alternative differs from the "no-action" alternative in that drainage problems would be addressed; however, Klingle Road would remain closed to vehicular traffic. Under the No Build Alternative, existing drainage related damage and deficiencies in the Klingle Creek watershed would be corrected. Under this alternative, the damaged drainage structures would be repaired and additional drainage improvements would be constructed.

ALTERNATIVE C: GREEN SPACE ALTERNATIVE
Under Alternative C, Klingle Road would be permanently closed and the existing road would be removed allowing the area of permanent closure to return to a natural state. Drainage systems would be repaired and necessary storm water improvements implemented. Engineering construction work included under this alternative would involve removing the existing roadway and its appurtenant structures; backfilling the surface with borrowed soils base (approximately 18 inches depth); sodding with 4 inches topsoil; grading to provide positive drainage; and providing sediment and erosion control during demolition and compaction.

ALTERNATIVE D: BIKE RECREATION AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT
Under Alternative D, the closed portion of Klingle Road would be permanently closed to vehicular traffic and converted to a bike path with appropriate resurfacing. Two 6-foot wide bike lanes would be installed with appropriate landscaping and markings. The area of closure would be rebuilt as a recreational area and all existing drainage related damage and deficiencies in the Klingle Creek watershed would be corrected. Under Alternative D, an access for utility service vehicles would also be provided. Engineering construction work included under this alternative would involve removing the existing roadway and its appurtenant structures; installation of two six foot bike lanes, construction of aesthetic/ park oriented landscaping and park appurtenances, and grading to provide positive drainage.

ALTERNATIVE E: REBUILD KLINGLE ROAD TO ITS ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT
Alternative E would involve the rebuilding of Klingle Road to its original dimensions and the repair and/or replacement of drainage related damage and deficiencies. Under this alternative, Klingle Road would be opened to twoway vehicular traffic. As part of this reconstruction, necessary storm water improvements would be made and drainage improvements would be implemented. Engineering assumptions made for this alternative are based on the plans developed for reconstruction of the roadway by the DDOT in 1991.

ALTERNATIVE F : BUILD KLINGLE ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE VEHICULAR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE USES
Under Alternative F, Klingle Road would be built and widened from the original dimensions to accommodate two way vehicular and pedestrian and bicycle uses. All existing drainage related damages and deficiencies would be addressed. The width of the entire roadway would vary from 25 to 30 feet in width with two six-foot wide bike lanes Engineering assumptions made for the roadway (without the bike lanes) are based on the plans developed for reconstruction of the roadway by the DDOT in 1991. As part of this alternative, necessary storm water improvements would be made and drainage improvements would be implemented. Alternative F has been considered .as a project alternative; how the limited amount of right-of-way to accommodate both pedestrian and bikeway facilities as well as traffic.

ALTERNATIVE G: BUILD KLINGLE ROAD AS A ONE LANE ONE-WAY ROAD AND A PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE LANE
Alternative G, a modification of Alternative F, would involve the rebuilding of Klingle Road as a single lane road with a pedestrian/bicycle lane. Under this alternative, the direction of traffic would be determined through additional study and community input. A pedestrian/bicycle lane would also be included in the design of this alternative. The width of the roadway would be approximately 12 feet with two six-foot wide bike lanes, As part of this alternative. necessary storm water improvements would ,be made and drainage improvements would be Implemented. This alternative would alIow for vehicular, bicycle ,and pedestrian uses without widening the existing right-of-way

The following is a brief description of the existing environmental, social, and economic setting for the area affected by the alternatives presented for the closed portion of Klingle Road.

GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND SOILS
The proposed project area is located in the Piedmont Physiographic Province, an area characterized by metamorphosed rocks of sedimentary , volcanic, and plutonic origin. Regionally, outcrops of these rocks typically are confined to stream valleys such as the Klingle Creek valley, which transcends five generally north to south trending bands of metamorphic rock formations. Topography on and adjacent to the project area ranges from moderately to steeply sloped terrain bisected by Klingle Creek. Elevations range from approximately 395 feet above mean sea level (rnsl) near its western boundary to approximately 40 feet msl where drainage enters Rock Creek on the eastern boundary.

According to the Soil Survey of the District of Columbia, soils mapped in the proposed project area include Brandywine gravelly loam, Manor loam, Joppa gravelly sandy loam, and Udorthents. The Brandywine gravelly loam and Joppa gravelly sandy loam dominate the western half of the project area, upstream of the Connecticut Avenue Bridge, while Manor loam dominates the downstream portion of the project area. These soils are associated by being moderately sloping, excessively drained soils, medium to rapid runoff, and hazardous for erosion.

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES

All biological resources have been determined through resource agency contacts and direct field observations. 

Vegetation
Vegetation occurring in the Klingle Road project area was characterized based on direct field observations made during site visits conducted on April 12, 2000 and on June 19 through June 21, 2000. The project area was surveyed for the presence of trees greater than 24-inches diameter breast height (dbh), overall ground cover and the percent of the understory comprised of invasive species. The District of Columbia does not presently have standard measures and/or methodologies for completing a vegetation or tree survey, therefore, a technical manual for such purpose authored by the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission was utilized. A total of 31 24-inch dbh trees occur in the project study area, the area 25 feet to either side of the road centerline. Of these 31 trees, tulip poplar dominates, comprising 55 percent of the population. The overall species composition is comprised of a poplar-oak-hickory mix. Of the 39 vegetative species identified using the random plot method, twelve are defined as invasive species. These twelve species comprise an average of 17 percent of the coverage within the project area, whereas native species comprise 10 percent and bare ground averages 79 percent of the ground cover. Bare ground is defined as land without vegetative cover (land covered by only dirt).

Wetlands
Site investigations were conducted June 21, 2000 to determine the presence and extent of wetland habitat in the project area. The assessment of the project area for the presence or jurisdictional wetlands was based on procedures prescribed in the Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (1987) and related technical and policy guidance (i.e. National Wetland Inventory Maps). No areas within the potential project area exhibited the three parameters indicative of the presence of jurisdictional wetlands.

Wildlife
As an urban greenspace, Klingle Creek valley provides habitat for a variety of wildlife adapted to urban conditions and human populations (i.e. grey squirrel, whitetail deer, raccoon, opossum, songbirds and reptiles). Klingle Creek has a low diversity of aquatic species consisting primarily of species tolerant of adverse conditions.

Threatened and Endangered Species
In accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, the project area was evaluated for the potential occurrences of species listed as threatened and endangered on the federalist. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are no federally threatened, endangered, or proposed plant or animal species occurring in the project area.

Water resources
Surface water resources in and adjacent to the Klingle Road project area are characterized by Klingle Creek and a few small temporarily ponded areas associated with stormwater outfalls and restricted conveyances. The Klingle Creek watershed drains an approximately 0.5 square mile area between Woodley Park and Cleveland Park. By definition, Klingle Creek is a small stream with flow rates less than one cubic foot per second (cfs). Existing conditions in Klingle Creek are not representative of a small healthy urban stream. The level of development in the Klingle Creek watershed and surrounding area has limited the ability of the creek to effectively drain the watershed, resulting in stream characteristics typical of a water body that regularly receives high volumes of urban stormwater runoff. Typical pollutants found in urban stormwater runoff include suspended solids, heavy metals, oils and greases, and organics. In addition, during heavy rainfall events, raw sewage may be discharged into the creek when the stormwater runoff volumes exceed combined sewer overflow capacities. Increase in the volume and flow rate of stormwater runoff entering Klingle Creek has lead to erosion of the streambanks and the streambed in places.

Stream Morphology
Field assessment of the channel conditions of Klingle Creek indicates the stream channel and the surrounding area are impacted by streambank and bed erosion. Typical stream channel morphology can be determined using the regional bankfull curves. For a given drainage area these curves show the typical stream depth, width and cross sectional area that correspond to bankfull flow conditions (the water level reached during a 2-year storm). The impact of frequent exceedance of the bankfull conditions increases stream channel bed and bank erosions which leads to stream channel degradation. For a 0.5 square mile watershed, the average stream channel dimensions are approximately 1.3 feet deep by 12 feet wide, with a cross sectional area of approximately 15 square feet. Stream channel measurements in four random locations indicate these dimensions were exceeded in Klingle Creek. These samples indicated that the stream channel is degrading due to increase stream flow and frequency of exceeding the bankfull conditions due to inflow of uncontrolled stormwater.

Stormwater and Sewer Conveyances
Nine stormwater outfalls, including one combined sewer overflow (CSO), are located in the Klingle Creek watershed. An existing storm sewer system also traverses the Klingle Creek valley. The Klingle Creek watershed occurs within the Rock Creek Sewer System Drainage Basin service area. The Klingle Road sanitary sewer collector services a population of approximately 4,000 people and conveys approximately 0.47 million gallons per day of sewage into the District's sewer system.

Water Quality
Bioassessments to characterize the ecological character and water quality characteristics of streams in the District of Columbia were conducted in 1988, 1993, and 1998. The 1988 study indicated that the Klingle Valley Tributary was fair to poor, but was organically rich with macro invertebrates. Macro invertebrates are animals that do not have backbones, can be seen with the naked eye, and live mainly on the stream bottom (I.e. aquatic insects). The 1998 study concluded that the creek has been impacted by water quality and habitat degradation and consists primarily of species tolerant of adverse conditions.

Floodplain Encroachment
Approximately half of the currently closed portion of Klingle Road is within the 100-year floodplain as indicated by the Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Community-Panel Numbers 110001-0010 and 110001-0020 and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 03 Flood Data for Washington D.C.

Hazardous Materials
Environmental Data Resources, Inc. (EDR) was utilized to conduct a search of available databases as identified by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard E1527-00 for the closed portion of Klingle Road using the center point (for radius search) of the intersection of Klingle Road and Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington D.C. According to the EDR report, several contaminated or possibly contaminated sites are within the 1.5 mile radius have been included in Federal and State Databases, although most have been removed from critical status lists. Such sites include 78 underground storage tanks (UST) within approximately 0.5 miles of the project site. It is important to note that sites located in Federal and State Databases may not necessarily indicate the presence of an environmental problem or public health threat.

In addition, in September of 1999 an investigation, directed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency {EPA), of lead paint chips falling from the Glover Bridge onto Klingle Road and stream was completed. The results of this investigation were analyzed by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry {ATSDR). ATSDR concluded that the levels of lead detected in surface soil and from bridge paint samples are a public health hazard. This rating is used for sites that pose a public health hazard due to the existence of long-term exposures {greater than 1 year) to hazardous substances or conditions that could result in adverse health effects. Planned remediation for this issue is currently in progress by the DC government.

Air Quality
Ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter are the air pollutants most commonly found in the Washington Metropolitan region. Most are formed from combustion of fuels from either motor vehicles or fuel burnng industries. Klingle Road is listed as a minor arterial for vehicular traffic. This classification of road is defined as a roadway the serves trips of moderate length that interconnect with principal arterial segments in a roadway system. Before closure, Klingle Road carried approximately 3,200 vehicles per day and approximately 200 vehicles in each direction during peak hours. Information from the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments indicates that air quality in the region has steadily been improving over the last ten years.

Noise
Noise is one of most noticed environmental pollutants and, therefore, potential noise impacts should be carefully evaluated with special consideration given to noise receptors. Sensitive noise receptors in the project area would include the primary residential areas surrounding Klingle Road as well as the Washington International School and the National Zoological Park. The two apartment buildings located adjacent to the closed section of Klingle Road include the Kennedy-Warren Apartment Building and Woodley Park Towers; they would also be considered as potentially sensitive noise receptors.

Land Use
The closed portion of Klingle Road is surrounded by land designated as Park, Recreation, and Open Space and connects to Rock Creek Park of the same designation. Immediately adjacent to and/or near the closed portion of Klingle Road are apartment buildings, residential areas, the National Zoological Park {3001 Connecticut Avenue N. W.), the Washington International School {3100 Macomb Street N.W.), and a property owned by the Embassy of India {2700 Macomb Street N.W.). Churches, schools, places of business, recreation areas were also identified in this portion of the study.

Zoning
Ten of the thirty zoning districts present in the District of Columbia are represented in the neighborhoods surrounding Klingle Road. Five of the 18 overlay districts are also in this area. The majority of land in the area is zoned for residential and community business uses. Areas to the east of the Klingle Road are mainly designated for row dwellings and flats {R4) and moderate density apartment homes {R-5-B). West of Klingle Road one-family detached dwellings {R-1-A, R-1-B) and one family semi-detached dwellings {R2) are the dominant zoning districts.

SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
A study boundary was identified by geocoding all addresses obtained at the public meeting held on March 15, 2000 and letters or comment cards that have been received by concerned citizens. After the addresses were geographically reference a visual cluster analysis using Census Tracts were used to determine a study boundary for social and economic issues {Exhibit 1 ). After the boundary was identified, a study of the community profile included population, race, age, income, and environmental justice.

Population
According to 1990 U.S. Census date, the study area was home to approximately 34,630 residents. Between 1990 and 1997 (32,681) population estimates that the total area population declined 6.5 percent, even though two of the tracts experienced population increases. Within the study area, African Americans comprise 16.0 percent of the population and whites comprise 77.5 percent. In addition, census tracts 0027.01 and 0027.02 located within the Mount Pleasant area consist of 18.89 and 30.62 percent Hispanic.

Income
Census data for the study area indicate significant discrepancies in household and median income between the various tracts. Within the study area the average per capita income is $56,889 and the median household income is $79,282 (U.S. Census, 1990 and Claritas, 1998). Within the study area, income varies greatly between the tracts. Tract 0004.00 has a median household income of $206,667 and a per capita income of $98,565. The three tracts with the lowest income levels include 0027.01,0027.02 and 0039.00, located east of the Klingle Creek in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, with median household incomes of $26,861, $25,701 and $36,687 respectively.

Environmental Justice
The purpose of Environmental Justice is to avoid the disproportionate placement of adverse environmental, economic, social, or health impacts from governmental actions and policies on minority and low-income populations. In order to prevent the potential for discrimination and disproportionately high and adverse effects on a specific population, a process must identity minority and low-income populations that might be affected by implementation of a proposed action and alternatives. While there are differences in income and racial composition between the tracts within the study area, none of the tracts would be unduly burdened by any of the alternatives based on these factors alone.

Public Services and Utilities
Several utilities exist adjacent to and beneath the Klingle Road right-of-way. Specifically, the following utilities and services will be addressed: Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic), District Cable Vision, D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO), Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO), D.C. Police Services, D.C. Bureau of Traffic (street lights), Washington Gas, and the Water and Sewer Authority (WASA). Underground lines for PEPCO, WASA and Washington Gas have been identified in the project study area. In addition, WMATA maintains a powerstation located inside the south abutment of the Connecticut Avenue bridge. Representatives from public services and utilities have been contacted for their input on the project.

Cultural Resources
Sources at the Historic Preservation Division, D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and at Rock Creek Park were used to identity cultural resources that might be affected by the proposed alternatives associated with Klingle Road. Archaeological and historical properties were identified on the basis of archival research; no field surveys were undertaken. Historical maps of the city do not indicate any structures, or potential archaeological sites, along the Klingle Road project area. Adjacent to the project are several historic properties such as Tragraon located at 3029 Klingle Road/3100 Macomb Street. Porter Street, immediately north of its intersection with Klingle Road, also contains a number of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, including Linnean Hill (also known as Pierce-Klingle Mansion), Greystone, Gearing Bungalow, and Pine Crest Manor (Historic Preservation Division 1995).

Traffic

Methodologies and Findings

As a part of the Klingle Road Project, a traffic study was conducted by The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (Berger) using existing traffic conditions data (data collected before and after the closure of Klingle Road to vehicular traffic) provided by the DDOT in conjunction with supplemented traffic data provided by the Washington, DC Council of Governments (COG). In addition, Berger conducted several field studies and observations to assess traffic operations and to collect further traffic data. The study included an analysis of traffic operations for existing and various future scenarios. Under the future scenarios, analyses were performed for no-build (Alternatives A-D) and three build scenarios (Alternatives E-G). In addition, a traffic safety analysis was also conducted to determine safety concerns in proximity to Klingle Road.

Existing traffic operational analyses confirmed severe traffic congestion on east-west cross town roadways, which have received the majority of diverted traffic resulting from the closure of Klingle Road in 1990. This traffic congestion is expected to worsen over the years due to ever increasing traffic volumes throughout the metro area, regardless of whether Klingle Road is to remain closed or rebuilt for vehicular traffic.

For the future build conditions (Alternatives E-G), traffic diversion patterns were assessed in order to quantify future operating conditions resulting from the opening of Klingle Road. The results of Alternative E and Alternative F indicate that any reopening of Klingle Road will lead to some delay reduction on Porter Street and on Cleveland Avenue and Garfield Street; although, most of the already failed approaches at the studied intersections will continue to operate with unacceptable level of service (LOS).

Results of the analysis conducted for Alternative G, indicate that the traffic operations would experience minimum improvements at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Porter Street as compared to the Alternatives E and F . In addition, the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Garfield Street would also experience minor improvements. However, similar to Alternatives E and F, the minor improvements to the studied intersections will not relieve the current vehicular traffic congestion associated in the study area.

In addition to the traffic operational analyses, a safety analyses was conducted for the study area. These analyses revealed that there are approximately 69 crashes over a three-year period. The majority of these crashes, approximately 56 crashes, occurred at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Porter Street. Approximately 35 of the 56 crashes were either rear-end or sideswipe type crashes. In general, it is expected that the overall accidents in the study area could be reduced slightly if Klingle Road was open due to the diversion of traffic from the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Porter Street.

In conclusion, Alternative F would result in the greatest improvement in terms of delay reduction at four of the key intersections analyzed, followed by Alternatives E and G, respectively. However, actual LOS, particularly those that are already at LOS E or F would not be substantially improved. The opening of Klingle Road under any of build scenarios would result in only minor improvements to traffic operations due to the fact that the road size is incapable of relieving traffic or reducing the current LOS at surrounding intersections.



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