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Just
the Facts, Please
What
the Klinglevalley.org Web site Says:
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Our
Response:
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The only significant benefit of re-building
Klingle appears to be as a handy shortcut for parents living
on the east side of Rock Creek with children in one of the
five upscale elementary and secondary schools at the
terminus of old Klingle Road. Washington International
School, Maret School, John Eaton School, Beauvoir School,
and National Cathedral School for Girls.
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Our supporters
don't think so. The
road traveled in "both" directions and was
used by people from both sides of the park.
Klingle Road is listed as a collector road
for vehicular traffic on the District of Columbia's
Functional Classification Map. Collectors provide
direct access to major traffic generators such as a Metro
station or a large complex of apartments. They
may connect a neighborhood to a major arterial roadway.
Berger, 3.12.1. Klingle Road provides access to the National
Cathedral, American University, upper Georgetown, the
MacArthur Boulevard, as well as many other schools, places
of worship, and recreational areas.
Berger, 3-55
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The section of Klingle Road closed to cars
is a steep, narrow, winding, unlighted -mile road running
between Woodley Road and Porter Street.
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And
so are all the rest of the roads that feed into Rock Creek
Park, including Beach Drive.
Many of the historic trails were adapted from old
farm roads. All
of the park's serpentine roads were designed as pleasure
drives. The
present road system continues to reflect their original
purpose of providing public access to the enjoyment of
extraordinary rural scenery.
Although adapted to the automobile, the designed
alignment, width and environmental surroundings of these
scenic roads has not substantially changed since the 1920s.
(National Register of Historic Places).
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The closest match for volume would be the
Zoo road with 300 per hour. This does not really come close
to the "artery" status claimed by the road
advocates.
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The traffic study revealed that
Klingle Road carried more traffic per day than other feeder
roads into Rock Creek Park such as Sherrill Drive (2,400
cars); Oregon Avenue (1,700 cars), Bingham Drive (1,100
cars), Broad Branch (2,000), Brandywine Street (3,200 cars),
27th Street (1,600 cars), Park Road (2,600 cars),
Chestnut Street (2,700) and Davenport Street (3,000 cars).
Klingle Road is listed as a collector road
for vehicular traffic on the District of Columbia's
Functional Classification Map.
Klingle Road carried 3,200 vehicles per day, 200 in
each direction during peak hours, a significant amount of
traffic. Opponents
include traffic volumes on roads miles from Klingle Road,
such as Military Road, to arrive at the 2% figure.
Traffic that traveled on Klingle Road does not use
Military Road as an alternative.
Instead, the traffic uses Porter Street.
DPW figures showed that traffic at Porter and
Connecticut doubled after Klingle Road closure.
The Zoo Road does not replace Klingle Road:
traffic figures for the Zoo Road show the number of
people who drive to the National Zoo.
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A traffic study conducted for DPW in 2000
by the Louis Berger Group, Inc. concluded that "severe
traffic congestion on east-west cross-town roadways . . . 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" (November 30, 2000 DPW
"Progress Report: The Klingle Road Project," p. 9)
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"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." Berger, EA study.
"... the road network surrounding Klingle Road is
currently experiencing excessive delays and poor level of
service, especially along roads parallel to Klingle Road.
The reopening of Klingle Road is one of the options
evaluated to improve the east-west cross-town traffic
conditions, which provide access to the National Cathedral,
American University, upper Georgetown, and the MacArthur
Boulevard area as well as many other schools, places of
worship, and recreational areas..."
"Beneficial impacts
associated with [rebuild of Klingle Road to its Original
Alignment] may include a delay reduction at Porter Street
and Connecticut Avenue and the potential for a reduction in
the number of accidents on neighboring intersections.
In addition, opening the roadway to east-west traffic would
provide another thoroughfare for cross-town access to
schools, places of worship, commercial areas, and public
buildings."
To not open Klingle Road: "Long-term adverse impacts to
traffic patterns would be expected to include a worsening of
traffic congestion on east-west cross-town roadways." Berger
study, 3.12.1
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Q: Could Klingle Road
be widened?
A: No. The right-of-way is barely wide enough to
carry one lane of traffic in each direction, and the
National Park Service has publicly stated that they will not
grant a wider right-of-way.
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The
right of way is 90 feet. The current
road is using 30 feet with 2 full street lanes.
Recorded in book County No.6 Surveyor's
Office, DC, June 3, 1885 and also on plat, February 24,
1919, Office of the Surveyor of the District of Columbia.
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Was Klingle Road ever an
east-west artery?
A:
No, it was just a shortcut through Rock Creek Park. It is
not listed as an arterial road but as a collector on the DC
Functional Classification map of city streets. Traffic
studies before it was closed in 1990 record that it was one
of the most lightly used routes across Rock Creek Park.
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Yes, Klingle Road is classified as a
collector. In fact, the
Ward 1 Comprehensive Plan on Transportation showed that the principal defect in transit service in Ward 1 is the
limited east-west service. Primary routes for east-west travel across
Rock Creek Park are one half (1/2) to one (1) mile apart. Park and
Klingle Roads, Calvert Street, Connecticut Avenue, and Massachusetts
Avenue are
the only routes across Rock Creek Park.
Only Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues, Park
and Klingle Roads, and Calvert Street provide cross-park
service. As a result, congestion, particularly at Calvert Street
and Connecticut Avenue, is a significant problem during rush hours.
The traffic study revealed that
Klingle Road carried more traffic per day than other feeder
roads into Rock Creek Park such as Sherrill Drive (2,400
cars); Oregon Avenue (1,700 cars), Bingham Drive (1,100
cars), Broad Branch (2,000), Brandywine Street (3,200 cars),
27th Street (1,600 cars), Park Road (2,600 cars),
Chestnut Street (2,700) and Davenport Street (3,000 cars).
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As far as bike traffic
goes, apparently one of the main reasons the City decided in
1995 to permanently close Klingle to cars is because it
links two major bicycle routes - Woodley road and Rock Creek
Park.
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Not according to the National Park Service bicycle
map.
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