MAYOR ADRIAN M. Fenty (D) has more than proved his mettle in
taking on such entrenched interests as the District school system
and the city's cabbies. But even he may be no match for the few but
powerful opponents of reopening Klingle Road. The setback to his
plans to restore and reopen the road is sad testament to how the
best interests of the public can be trampled by the wants of a
self-interested minority.
The latest chapter of the 17-year saga of Klingle
Road came on April 30 when a
D.C. Council committee voted to stop the mayor from using $2
million to begin work on the project. For some 100 years, this
Northwest Washington road was a key crosstown connector across
Rock Creek Park before flooding led to part of it being closed
in 1991. Lack of money to fix the road allowed residents of
surrounding neighborhoods to use it as a recreation area, even
though no decision was ever made to abandon its use as a road.
In fact, after exhaustive study and debate, the
council determined five years ago that the public interest would be
best served by reopening the road. Council members considered the
inconvenience of those stuck in the daily traffic congestion of a
city with few east-west options as well as the testimony by public
safety authorities about the road's use in helping to protect life
and property. Residents with access to hundreds of acres of parkland
really didn't need this additional sliver.
The council's vote should have ended the matter,
but opponents conducted endless appeals, causing foot-dragging and
inaction by local and federal authorities. Mr. Fenty hoped to
jump-start the project with local funds but his proposal fell victim
to an ambush led by advocates for the neighborhood's interests. The
committee's vote was particularly shortsighted in that it prevents
repairs that would address urgent environmental issues.
It is intolerable that opponents now use the
success of their obstruction to support their argument that the road
is really not needed. Mr. Fenty should not give up. And in voting
next week on the mayor's $5.7 billion budget, the council should not
give in.
Copyright The Washington Post
