Last night's Klingle Valley Trail EA information meeting was kind of a non-event. There were poster boards and information sheets, a video of the area as it is now and DDOT employees there to talk to, but it had the feel of an obligatory exercise. There was information on the existing conditions, scope, possible trail elements, meeting schedule and project summary, but nothing new really. The next phase is the Environmental Studies and Alternatives Development at which point there will be a meeting sometime this Winter. The whole process will end in July.
Some of the issues that will have to be decided include:
1. Access, as in 24 hour access, and will the trail be lit (solar power probably won't work there as it does on the Met Branch because of the tree cover).
2. How the trail connects into the Rock Creek Park Trail at the east end and to the street system on the west. I assume a connection to Connecticut Ave is not possible.
3. The surface. By law it has to be porous. But will a porous material work on the slopes of Klingle Valley? If not, will a good storm water management strategy be adequate?
4. Width. The law calls for 10 feet, which should really be a minimum. Does this allow for 10 feet for a bike path and 10 feet for a parallel hiking, jogging path?
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