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Thanks to commenter Jeremy for pointing out that the future of the Rose Park Trail will be part of Wednesday evening’s discussion of the Rock Creek Trail.  The Rose Park Trail is a significant access point for cyclists in Georgetown and South Dupont Circle, but that access is threatened by the organized efforts of the Friends of Rose Park, the Citizens Association of Georgetown, and ANC 2E.

WABA strongly supports the continued right of cyclists to use this trail, and believes that efforts to prevent cyclists’ access to this important part of the trail network is discriminatory and ill-conceived.  Public space must be shared, and no single user-group has the right to override the access rights of others.

While we hope that this Rose Park Trail access issue does not overtake the entire meeting and unduly distract attention from the primary 3.7 mile Rock Creek Trail project, it is clear that many groups who oppose not only trail widening, but all bicycle access to the Rose Park Trail, will be attendance.

Please come and show your support for not only the improvement of the Rock Creek Trail, but for the broader rights of access for bicyclists.

The letters from Friends of Rose Park and the Citizens Association of Georgetown seeking to ban bikes from the park are below.  (Copied from the Friends of Rose Park website).

Friends of Rose Park Letter

Citizen’s Association of George Town Letter

After some delay, the Environmental Assessment of the improvements to the Rock Creek Trail in DC is set to resume.  A public meeting, including renderings of the proposal concepts, will be held next Wednesday, February 23 at 6pm at the National Zoological Park Visitor Center Auditorium.

The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and the District Department of Transportation, proposes to rehabilitate a 3.7 mile section of the Rock Creek Park Multi-Use Trail from Broad Branch Road, NW to M Street, including a 3,000 foot segment of the Rose Park Trail, and a spur along Piney Branch Parkway from Beach Drive to Arkansas Avenue.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and other laws, regulations, and policies, an Environmental Assessment and Assessment of Effects will be prepared to analyze the potential impacts of a range of alternatives on the natural, cultural, and human environment.

Public comments will be accepted until February 28 and can be submitted electronically at the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/RockCreekTrailRehab/

We encourage the many trail users in the region to attend this public meeting and submit comments supporting the resurfacing, widening, and improvement of the trail.

WABA will finalize its comments following the presentations at this public meeting, and will provide a follow-up Advocacy Alert with an option to submit comments through the WABA Action Center.

WHEN:
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Open House: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Open Microphone Session: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE:
National Zoological Park Visitor Center Auditorium
3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20008