The National Capital Planning Commission developed a federal Urban Design Element of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. The proposed Element will establish new policies and combine existing policies about design and physical character into a unified section.
The Commission released the draft Urban Design Element on May 11, 2015 for a public comment period through July 9, 2015.
The draft doesn't include too much about biking.Under subsection B2 "Natural Setting: The Topographic Bowl, Waterways, and their Extents", there is a policy suggestion that
[The federal government should] Recognize the contribution of Rock Creek Park, Anacostia Parks, and the Fort Circle Parks in reinforcing the natural setting and character of the nation’s capital. In particular: Complete multi-purpose trails connecting the Fort Circle Parks, and those within the parks along the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers....
And then in the "Integrating Federal Buildings and Campuses within the Surrounding Community" subsection there is another policy that:
[The federal government should] Provide access to, or connections through, campuses, building yards, plazas, or courtyards for local and regional trails, bikeways, pedestrian ways or open space networks where possible. Agencies should explore programming these areas with publicly accessible amenities such as art installations and/or farmers markets.
And other policies are a little more vague about cycling, such as
[The federal government should] Design pedestrian and vehicular entrances or any physical gateways to federal campuses and buildings to be as inviting and as accessible as possible.
"Vehicular" could (does? should?) refer to bicycle access, but it would be better if it made that explicit.
But there are a few omissions in my opinion.
Under urban design and security, it mentions how "Permanent closure of streets or sidewalks within right-of-ways established by the L’Enfant Plan should be prohibited" without including multi-use paths, which it should do. Same thing for the policy on temporary closures.
Most importantly, I'd like to see a policy under the "Integrating Federal Buildings and Campuses within the Surrounding Community" that mentions how federal building should encourage green commuting, specifically with the addition of bike parking and shower facilities.
Comments are being accepted here and the open house is June 1, 6-8pm at the District Architecture Center, 421 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC.
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