Klingle Road Update

Mayor Anthony Williams
January 31, 2003

Approximately one year ago, I announced my decision regarding the future use of the portion of Klingle Road in Wards 1 and 3 currently closed to vehicle use. I made my decision to support a bicycle/pedestrian path after having studied the costs and benefits of various proposals. I also listened carefully to public opinion on both sides of the issue.

I remain convinced that rebuilding Klingle Road for vehicle traffic is a bad idea. The minimal benefit that would result from such an expensive project cannot be justified, especially during a time when the District government is experiencing significant revenue shortfalls. A preponderance of historical evidence suggests that efforts to maintain a public highway in this location have proven costly and ill advised.

The proposal to rebuild the road for vehicle use fails basic cost-benefit analysis for at least three reasons:

Financial costs: The cost to District taxpayers of rebuilding this portion of the road is too high. Millions of dollars would be required to rebuild Klingle Road to meet modern safety standards and ensure that it does not wash out again.

Negligible benefits: The transportation benefit that might result from rebuilding Klingle Road would be minimal.

Environmental costs: The regional office of the National Park Service (NPS) has argued that the environment and the public “would be best served by the permanent closure and removal” of Klingle Road. An April 2000 letter from the Executive Director of the National Capital Planning Commission mentions NPS support for “non-vehicular use of the right-of-way” and “reaffirms that position relative to the federal interest in Rock Creek Park.” I share the environmental concerns of our federal partners.

Finally, I should mention that, as an outgrowth of the feasibility study, DDOT will conduct an East-West Transportation Study to examine potential improvements designed to improve east-west travel options through Rock Creek Park.

As the DC Council considers this issue, I hope that it does so in the context of recognizing the transportation needs of the entire city. The millions of dollars that would be required to rebuild and maintain this small road for use by a limited number of cars would come at the expense of other transportation projects in the city. Considering its negligible to minimal transportation benefits and the environmental harm it might cause, it is hard to see how the costs of reopening Klingle could be justified.