Zoo tram an opportunity to not need parking

Parking

Zoo tram an opportunity to not need parking

by David Alpert • May 28, 2008 6:02 pm

The National Zoo will propose an aerial tram and 1,428 new parking spaces, according to the Examiner (via DCist). The tram will connect all of the Zoo's entrances, of which only one is near Metro and half a mile away. Meanwhile, they will construct a new entrance near the Small Mammal House for a huge new parking lot.

Take Metro to the Zoo instead of driving.
Photo by blandm on Flickr.

Why not connect the tram to a new entrance near Calvert Street or Woodley Road? Zachary Schrag writes that the Zoo considered a Calvert entrance when Metro was constructed, but dropped the idea. That area is a stone's throw from the Woodley Metro station.

The Examiner article quotes Adams Morgan and Woodley Park community activists as being concerned about parking. What better way to reduce the need to drive to the Zoo than to connect the new tram to Metro? Right now, there's insufficient parking around the Zoo and desire to park on neighborhood streets. Sounds just like the ballpark. Rather than build seas of parking, they upgraded Metro accessibility and set up residential parking restrictions to stop fans from parking in the neighborhoods. And it worked. We should do the same here.

12 comments

Tags: Adams Morgan, DC, excessive parking, National Zoo, Nationals ballpark, performance parking, WMATA, Woodley Park

Stadium opens without parking, world doesn't end (Apr 2, 2008)
Lauriol Parking Improvement District? (Feb 15, 2008)
We need better loading and performance parking around the Hilton (Jul 10, 2008)
DC versus New York (Mar 6, 2008)
Graham "intrigued" by RPP improvement ideas (Nov 10, 2008)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

Comments
Add a comment »

Why didnt they build the metro station in front of the zoo entrance on Conn. Ave in the first place or atleast a block away, not a mile down a hill.

by kk on May 28, 2008 8:15 pm • link • report

kk: The Metro system was designed with commuters in mind, not tourists. At Woodley Park, the station "was sited for bus lines and business hotels" according to Schrag. It's the same reason the White House isn't included in any station names, why there's no Jefferson Memorial station, why the Union Station and Capitol South stops are near the Congressional office buildings rather than the Capitol itself. NCPC had to lobby for a Smithsonian station entrance on the Mall instead of just one at the Southwest office buildings, which the Federal government paid for. And it's related to the reason Georgetown wasn't included in Metro's plans. In each case, the lines and stations were located in the places that would bring workers from their homes to their offices first and foremost.

by David Alpert on May 28, 2008 8:38 pm • link • report

I know why the system was designed, however what im saying it that the station should have never been called woodley park or zoo in the first place since it is near neither.

Just like many of the stations in the system such as shaw/howard university that station is no where near the place it is named after in this case howard university they should that crap it is deception. If the station is not within or a block or two from the neighborhood it should in no way be named after the neighborhood regardless of if your trying to get people to come to the area it is just plain deception no matter what.

by kk on May 28, 2008 9:39 pm • link • report

I direct friends visiting from out of town to the Cleveland Park station when going to the zoo. A much easier walk (especially with strollers) and better food amenities for the way back. Especially Vace.

by Andrew on May 28, 2008 10:04 pm • link • report

The Zoo is almost as close to Cleveland Park as it is Woodley and Cleve Park involves shorter escalators and no hill to climb (the slight grade is hell on walking-impaired suburbanites). Including "Zoo" in the title is a problem with Woodley. I also suggest people use Cleveland Park, to avoid the grade and the "scene". Actually, I see no reason to add any parking at all--people already manage to find it in adjacent neighborhoods and more parking will do nothing to alleviate that, it will just bring more visitors, which is something the zoo doesn't need. On summer weekends there already are too many people in the zoo. Other than malls, it's one of the few free places where you can take little kids, where they won't be bored. Unfortunately it creates a crush of people and a human zoo. It must be hell on the animals and it's certainly hell on people trying to use the Woodley Metro and dodging the SUV strollers and disoriented tourists and suburbanites.

by Rich on May 28, 2008 11:58 pm • link • report

I live in a condo w/no off street parking 3 blocks from the zoo. I HATE zoo tourists parking in my neighborhood! They LITTER, create traffic on tiny side streets, are clueless on how to efficiently parallel park taking up 2 spaces at once, etc. The metro is right there! Why don't they take the metro? They are very BAD guests. If I need to drive somewhere on the weekend, when I most often use my car since I bike to work, I have to plan around the f****** zoo tourists who cause me to park 5 blocks from home when I have heavy ojects/bags to carry. These cars clogging up my neighborhood are mostly from MD and VA. Why don't they take the metro? Did I say I hate these disgusting litter-bugs? My neighborhood is not your trash-can you lousy zoo tourists from MD and VA! Take the metro!

by Bianchi on May 29, 2008 11:53 am • link • report

Bianchi: The solution is to charge the zoo tourists. Why should it be free to park in your neighborhood? Set up a fee for non-resident parking, make it high enough to encourage Metro riding, and use the money to clean up their litter.

by David Alpert on May 29, 2008 11:57 am • link • report

Thank you! How do we make that happen?

by Bianchi on May 29, 2008 12:18 pm • link • report

I'd start by talking to your ANC members. I'm working on getting mine to support a resolution encouraging DDOT to do some performance parking in Dupont. I'll look into other ways citizens can support bringing better parking policies to their neighborhoods.

by David Alpert on May 29, 2008 4:17 pm • link • report

What's "performance parking"?

by Bianchi on May 29, 2008 4:37 pm • link • report

Here's a summary. Rob Goodspeed has a good writeup too. Here's more about how it's been implemented in DC so far.

by David Alpert on May 29, 2008 4:40 pm • link • report

Jeez the attitude's getting unreal on this site! yes, we all have the same transit-oriented goals, but can we admit that when other people HAVE DIFFERENT LIVES than the ones we have, they sometimes must make other choices. We don't need to be so judgmental and condescending about things others do. Zoos are for KIDS who ride in BIG STROLLERS - get over it. And yes, the Metro isn't feasible for a single parent with a couple of kids & all the accoutrements that go with. They come in MINIVANS. And btw, "suburbanites" pay for more Friends of the Zoo memberships that DC residents. Tourists often have kids, too. Get over it. Because you're not at that point in your life (yet) doesn't mean you should walk around with your nose in the air. This site would be so much more productive without all the arrogance.

by julien's dad in cap hill dc on Jun 1, 2008 9:45 pm • link • report