As predicted, the Committee on Public Works and the Environment voted 3-2 (Brown, Cheh, and Alexander versus Graham and Bowser) not to spend lots of local money to rebuild a high-speed bypass through Rock Creek Park that we’ve done fine without for 18 years.

Jim Graham is disappointed, and wants to hear from citizens. I encourage anybody who thinks parks should be for recreation, not highways, to attend the meeting or email grahamwone@gmail.com.

Thursday, May 8

6:30 pm

John A. Wilson Building (the Council building)

1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW (Pennsylvania between 14th and 13½th)

Metro: Metro Center or Federal Triangle

Update: According to City Paper, Cheh also added an amendment allocating $2 million “for environmental remediation of Klingle Valley and construction of a recreation trail.” Graham still plans to fight for the road. And Mayor Fenty is fine with whatever the Council decides.

Continue the conversation about urbanism in the Washington region and support GGWash’s news and advocacy when you join the GGWash Neighborhood!

Tagged: cat:public_spaces, dc, jim graham, klingle valley, parks, public spaces

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.