What the Klinglevalley.org Web site Says:

Our Response:

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.

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

The section of Klingle Road closed to cars is a steep, narrow, winding, unlighted -mile road running between Woodley Road and Porter Street.

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).

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.

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), 27^th 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.  

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)

"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

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.

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.

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.

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), 27^th Street (1,600 cars), Park Road (2,600 cars), Chestnut Street (2,700) and Davenport Street (3,000 cars).

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.

Not according to the National Park Service bicycle map.