There
Really Are Only A Few Klingle Valley Supporters
By Tonya Jackson 6-14-02
I applaud Ms. Ingram's article on the
Klingle Valley Few. I did look at the Klingle Valley website and sure
enough, they have very few supporters. Even their photos told a
story.
If the Klingle Valley Few really thinks
that a road should never have been built in the first place, per the
angered Mr. Ralph Scott's June 13 mail, I guess we should call it a day
and close down Piney Branch Parkway, Grant Road, Wise Road, Joyce Road,
Pinehurst Parkway, Broad Branch Road, West Beach Drive, Tilden Street,
North Portal Drive, Rittenhouse St and Beach Drive-- just to name a
'few', all of which twist and turn along streams and creeks, just like
Klingle Road.
Klingle Road predates Rock Creek Park and
I direct the Klingle Valley Few to the National Register of Historic
Places. Rock Creek is a Metropolitan Park and when Rock Creek Park was
established, only 3 roads: Klingle, Pierce Mill, and Military Roads, had
through connections on either side of the valley above the National
Zoological Park. These roads largely determined the development of the
land area into the 20th century. Klingle Road was also designed to
provide public access to the enjoyment of extraordinary rural scenery
for EVERYONE.
By removing this historic Klingle Road,
you deny this enjoyment and access to all of us, except for a few, you
divide east from west, you divide development and economics, you
disconnect our neighborhoods from each other, and you separate the
"haves" from the "have nots". This is wrong.
By removing this historic Klingle Road,
you remove a part of history that we wish to preserve. Klingle Road was
built because their owners wished to connect with and improve access to
other major public roads leading to town centers. They deeded this road
to the District to continue to provide access to all of us forever.
The historic register also states that a
major non-historic addition to the trail system of the park was the
paving of bicycle routes in the 1960s and 1970s. While I am an avid bike
rider, I have access to miles and miles of bike paths in Rock Creek
Park.
We have very little cross park access.
The real reason the Klingle Valley Few
want this road closed is because they don't want traffic through their
neighborhood. It is because of the very wealthy and influential people
who live at the top of the hill, the Tim Russerts, and the Tony
Bullocks, who have access to the power the rest of us will never have.
It is the Klingle Valley Few who are the
ones holding the dishonest bag of tricks.
|
