Memorial Circle Comment Period closes is 5 days

NPS is preparing to redesign Memorial Circle to help make it safer

The National Park Service (NPS) has initiated work on a Transportation Plan and Environmental Assessment (plan/EA) for the Memorial Circle area of the George Washington Memorial Parkway (the park). The purpose of the plan is to reduce conflicts between trail, walkway, and roadway users and to increase overall visitor safety, while maintaining the memorial character of the area and improving mobility for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles.

So far they've only put out a Public Scoping Newsletter and from my review it seems that they've identified the major issues in their project area. But anyone with comments on issue they miss or on solutions to consider should comment. 

Comments

[T]

They seem to have addressed the two biggest issues I deal with. When driving, I worry for cyclists at the location from GWMP exit ramp merger right before it merges with Washington Blvd (heading toward the circle or northbound). The MUP angle or interception is at a driver's is over your neck left at what would be like a 250 degree mark on a compass. It's just poorly designed. Thankfully traffic is slow enough in the morning.

Riding wise, I would love, love, love if they widened that tunnel. I'm glad they acknowledge it, but I doubt it will be widened. At a minimum, maybe reorient the MVT heading northbound so riders don't have to move all the way onto the left side of the trail to see if someone is coming. Made worse by the ridiculous tree root bumps right there.

[T]

Poorly worded third sentence from me. Meant to say:
The MUP angle of interception is is left over a driver's neck at what would be like a 250 degree mark on a compass.

[Jonathan Krall]

To my mind, the biggest issue is that space in a precious national park has been assigned to an effective freeway full of drivers who pass through the park without making any other use of it.

The age of slowly driving on a parkway to get fresh air has long passed. The time has come to return this park to its intended uses.

If people want to arrive in a car and enjoy the park, that's fine, but there is no need to waste all this beauty on people who are moving too fast to enjoy it.