Pedestrians and cyclists can continue to traverse the upper part of Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park in D.C. without worrying about sharing it with motorized vehicles. The National Park Service said that portion of the road will remain closed to vehicles year-round.
Upper Beach Drive was closed when the pandemic began to give residents space for activity amid pandemic-related closures, and NPS officials said Tuesday that it has decided to keep the section closed so visitors may “enjoy the park’s recreation and nature opportunities 365 days a year.”
Some 5 miles of roadway — including Bingham, Sherill and Beach drives — will be open only to pedestrians:
- From Broad Branch Road to Joyce Road
- From Picnic Area 10 to Wise Road
- From West Beach Drive to the District-Maryland state line
Beach Drive between Joyce Road and picnic areas six to 10 will be open to motorized vehicles for access to group picnic areas and parking lots; Ross Drive will reopen to motorized vehicles.
“Opening this section of Beach Drive to pedestrians and cyclists has provided our community with increased opportunities for healthy recreation, greater access to nature and outdoor enjoyment,” Rock Creek Park Superintendent Julia Washburn said in a statement.
Several members of the D.C. Council called for a permanent closure of a portion of Beach Drive to traffic in 2021, and later officially asked NPS to close the upper portion.
NPS worked with the District Department of Transportation to study the traffic impact of three alternatives — a return to pre-COVID status, full-time closure for recreation, and seasonal closure.
“In selecting the year-round closure over the previously proposed seasonal closure, the NPS recognizes that the closure has allowed outdoor recreation in the park to flourish and has provided enormous mental and physical health benefits to those who have used the upper portion of Beach Drive for recreation since its initial closure in April 2020,” NPS said.
DDOT traffic studies concluded that a full closure to motorized vehicles would result in minimal impact to traffic during peak commute times, an NPS news release said, adding that it will provide “safer park experiences,” and expands access to visitors with disabilities.
NPS said that it will coordinate with DDOT to install traffic signal adjustments, including safety and traffic-calming measures inside and adjacent to Rock Creek Park.
Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, Beach Drive accommodated about 5,500 to 8,000 vehicles each weekday.
