A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the Joint Bolling-Anacostia Base Master Plan of 2010 and the District Council's displeasure with it because, among other reasons,
the new master plan doesn't increase public access to the 3.3 miles of riverfront that the base covers, like the Navy Yard has
What I failed to mention that this wasn't always the case. Until 1999 bike commuters could use this trail to pass through.
Currently, access to the Bolling trail requires a military ID or sponsorship by someone on the Base. With previous base commanders, non-affiliated bicycle commuters who wanted to use the trail could also obtain a badge for conditional access. The new base commander, however, has put a stop to this practice and will no longer allow access.
Although previous base commanders have allowed cyclists through, the new commander has rejected the practice, citing Air Force "security requirements."
The Naval Air station did not close it's trail in 1999, but did at some point (anyone know when) later. Maybe it would be possible to reinstate this system - at least until the South Capitol Street Trail is open. Surely there is a new commander there by now, and technically, it's all a Navy installation since the merger. Everyone knows the Navy is cooler than the Air Force, right? [Flattery...]
It's not an "all navy installation", hence the "Joint Base" in the name. The new commander is Navy, though, but I doubt you'd get him to change the policy. And considering how long it'd take to get the pass, you might as well continue down South Capitol anyway, especially southbound. Northbound of course is a bit more hairy of a situation.
Also, unlike at the Navy Yard (at least once 11th St Bridge construction is done), there is no continuous riverfront path at JBAB...it's for most intents a "dead end" and requires passing through base residential areas to get back to anything meaningful on the south end. This is in part because of the marina and a Coast Guard facility near the south end of the base, then in relatively short order are both NRL and Blue Plains. This is likely another reason why you won't see JBAB riverfront access opened.
Posted by: Froggie | June 01, 2011 at 09:16 AM
It's commanded by the navy, the website is navy and The host military unit at Bolling is the Naval District of Washington, US Navy. It's sounds like navy to me. It's not all navy, but it is all a Navy installation. There's a difference.
All of the issues you list were true in 1999, and it appeared people used it.
Posted by: washcycle | June 01, 2011 at 09:36 AM
Yeah, I think the length of the waterfront access there plus the numerous discontinuities would make it really hard to get wider access in the post-9/11 world. Too bad.
Not long ago, the NRL bike listerv indicated that NRL employees who were foreign national contractors might be barred from cycling through the JBAB - I don't know how that was resolved.
Posted by: NRL worker | June 01, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Wash, it's not all Navy. The Bolling side is still very much an Air Force facility...the only real difference on that side is their overall installation commander wears a different shade of blue.
Posted by: Froggie | June 01, 2011 at 02:31 PM
Right it's not all Navy. There are Air Force people there - hosted by the Navy. So Air Force people on a Navy installation.
Posted by: washcycle | June 01, 2011 at 02:56 PM
From DIA south, it's the other way around. Trust me on this, I'm there on a regular basis. You're letting the service of the current base commander fool you.
Posted by: Froggie | June 01, 2011 at 05:21 PM