save connecticut ave in the news...

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District of Columbia Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton recently introduced a bill that would change the way in which the National Park Service ("NPS") manages its parks that are located in urban areas, including all of its parks in DC. The bill, called the Activating National Parks in Cities Act, comes on the heels of a controversial proposal by the NPS to eliminate rush hour reversible lanes on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway just as federal workers are being called back to the office en masse.

The Parkway was established by an Act of Congress in 1913 and the reversible lanes have been in place since 1937. A potential obstacle to ending the reversible lanes is that it could take an Act of Congress to do so. Save Connecticut Avenue is concerned that the Norton bill would provide just that by reclassifying Rock Creek Park away from its original mission. We have reached out to Norton's office to inquire whether she supports eliminating the reversible lanes and through a spokesman she said she is not prepared to comment.

The Activating National Parks in Cities Act would create a classification for NPS parks that are located in areas that the Census Bureau defines as urban. This would include all of its properties in DC including small pocket parks, neighborhood parks such as Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill and the 1,754 acre Rock Creek Park. 

In her press release about the bill, Norton said,

“NPS’s primary mission is to preserve spaces for the enjoyment of future generations. This noble mission was crafted for the purpose of wilderness preservation, allowing nature to remain untouched by time. However, this mission is ill-suited for the unique needs of NPS neighborhood parks. This bill would expand the mission of NPS to include the promotion of active use of its parks located in urban areas. Active use prioritizes current enjoyment by people and improves quality of life, including with playgrounds, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly infrastructure, sports and recreation facilities, community events, and programming for public holiday celebrations.”

Impact and Context

The bill could benefit small neighborhood parks by making them more responsive to resident needs. The question we raise is whether and how this bill would affect Rock Creek Park and its Parkway that is a critical part of the area road network used by 50,000 vehicles daily. The timing of this bill coming so soon on the heels of the NPS proposal to eliminate the reversible lanes raises questions.

Due to anti-vehicle DDOT policies such as the elimination of the Connecticut Ave rush hour reversible lanes, the District's road network is already under incredible stress. Neighborhood streets are carrying thousands of vehicles diverted from main connector roads. The pending closure of Connecticut Ave in Dupont Circle for up to three years for another DDOT project will leave car and bus commuters even more at wit's end and neighborhood streets overwhelmed. If DDOT has a strategy to help drivers and bus riders get to and from work it is not apparent.

Residents in Upper Northwest are familiar with Norton's behind the scenes work on behalf of the bike lobby. In 2022 she disregarded the will of Ward 4 residents and directed the NPS to close Upper Beach Drive permanently to vehicles. The road had previously been closed to vehicles on weekends and holidays, a compromise that worked well for decades. The closure has caused up to 8,500 cars daily to be diverted to neighborhood streets and emissions to increase (DDOT estimated emissions would rise 55%) due to the resulting traffic congestion. The Beach Drive decision was the culmination of 40 years of pressure by the DDOT-funded bike lobby group WABA and its spinoff People's Alliance for Rock Creek.

Delegate Norton should make clear in the text of her bill that it does not apply to Rock Creek Park and will not affect the status of the Parkway. That way the positive aspects of the bill, which might benefit small neighborhood parks, could be retained. If she does not, it is fair to ask if she is trying to pull another fast one on DC residents.