A recently rehabilitated section of Beach Drive was gouged out by raging Rock Creek floodwater during Thursday’s prolific rainfall in D.C.
Beach Drive is expected to remain closed between Blagden Avenue and Peirce Mill until an eroded section of roadbed is inspected.
The National Park Service said in a statement that no accidents were reported in the area despite the compromised roadway, but the stretch of road will remain closed to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, as engineers and work crews complete a storm water damage assessment.
Those on foot and riding bicycles are directed toward a path on the opposite side of Rock Creek. Northbound drivers must turn onto either Tilden Street or Park Road.
The magnitude of Thursday’s runoff proved too powerful for the new bioswales, catch basins and other riparian safeguards installed as a part of the Park Service’s multi-year rebuilding of Beach Drive which wrapped up late last year.
Torrential downpours on Thursday produced more than 3 inches of rain in parts of Northwest D.C. causing Rock Creek to surge out of its banks near the Maryland line, Peirce Mill and Waterside Drive.
Time lapse of flash flooding on Broad Branch Road today. I set this camera up and then beat feet to higher ground. Not everyone followed my lead… #dcwx #dctraffic pic.twitter.com/Di79eg1APq
— Dave Dildine (@DildineWTOP) September 10, 2020
Downstream, the southbound lanes of Rock Creek Parkway remained closed because of flooding through early Friday morning.
