🚀 go-pugleaf

Ward 3 and Ward 4 residents:

Please take a few minutes to ask DC Councilmembers Kathy Patterson (Ward
3) or Charleen Drew Jarvis (Ward 4) to support a six-month trial weekday
closure of the three sections of upper Beach Drive that are currently
closed on weekends and holidays. Councilmember Patterson is opposed to the
trial closure, whereas Councilmember Jarvis has not yet stated her
position.  Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and several members of the DC
Council have already asked the National Park Service to conduct a
six-month test of the weekday closures. 

Allen Muchnick

=================================================================

From: Rick Morgan, coordinator
      Peoples Alliance for Rock Creek (PARC)

YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED RIGHT NOW TO PROTECT ROCK CREEK PARK!

After years of delays, the National Park Service is expected to release
its "general management plan" for Rock Creek Park in DC within the next
few months.  According to inside sources, the plan is likely to fall far
short on measures advocated by Park users, especially with regard to
excessive automobile traffic. However, we still have a chance to enhance
the protection of Rock Creek Park's valuable resources--if we can win the
support of our political leaders. 

PARC, the Peoples Alliance for Rock Creek, is asking DC Councilmembers to
support permanent recreation zones on upper Beach Drive, at least on a
trial basis. 

Ward 4 councilmember Charlene Drew
Jarvis(<cdjarvis@dccouncil.washington.dc.us> fax: 724- 8120) has yet to
take a position regarding Beach Drive traffic.  Last month, an aide told
us that Jarvis hasn't heard much from her constituents about traffic in
Rock Creek Park.  We think it'stime that she did!  Please take a moment to
send a brief message to Councilmember Jarvis--even if it's just a
one-sentence E- mail. 

Here are a few  points you could make:

* Explain how you enjoy RC Park and how excessive traffic detracts from
your enjoyment of the Park; 

* Point out that Beach Drive attracts suburban automobile commuters to the
District when we should be encouraging alternatives such as Metro and
bicycling; 

* Ask Jarvis to support measures to reduce automobile traffic in Rock Creek
Park, at least on a trial basis; 

Despite widespread support among Ward 3 residents for reducing automobile
traffic in Rock Creek Park, Ward 3 councilmember Kathy Patterson is
resisting traffic restrictions on Beach Drive EVEN ON A TRIAL BASIS! 
Here's a reply that a PARC supporter received last week after urging
Patterson to support a test closure of upper Beach Drive: 

>From: "PATTERSON, KATHLEEN"
<KPATTERSON@dccouncil.washington.dc.us>
>
> Thanks for your message. For your information we had an 
> inadvertant test closure in January when a water main break 
> shut down portions of Rock Creek Parkway. Like many others 
> headed into town, it took me 2 hours to get to my office given
> all the spill over traffic on Connecticut Avenue, 16th St. etc. 
> I do not support closing the roadway but will continue to press
> for thorough traffic analyses.

Of course, it's unfair to characterize the unplanned January incident as
"a test," not to mention the fact that no one is proposing to restrict
traffic on Rock Creek Parkway.  The Parkway carries 5 to 10 times the
traffic load of upper Beach Drive (north of Broad Branch Rd) where PARC
advocates testing weekday recreation zones. 

The real problem, however, is that Councilmember Patterson assumes that
her constituents oppose any measures to restrict traffic in Rock Creek
Park, even on a trial basis. And as the Park Service prepares to release
its long-overdue Rock Creek Park management plan in late spring,
Patterson's resistance is a MAJOR barrier to curbing excessive automobile
traffic and protecting the Park. 

If you think Kathy Patterson (<KPATTERSON@dccouncil.washington.dc.us> fax:
724-8118) is out of touch with her constituents on protecting Rock Creek
Park from excessive automobile traffic, let her know what you think--even
if it's just a one-sentence E-mail. Here are a few points you could make: 

* Explain how you enjoy RC Park and how excessive traffic detracts from
your enjoyment of the Park; 

* Point out that Beach Drive attracts suburban automobile commuters to the
District when we should be encouraging alternatives such as Metro and
bicycling; 

* Ask Patterson to support measures to reduce automobile traffic in Rock
Creek Park, at least on a trial basis; 

When writing Councilmembers Jarvis and Patterson, please cc: the
following: 

<mayor@dcgov.org> fax: 727-0505
<lcropp@dccouncil.washington.dc.us>  fax: 724-8085
<schwartzc@dccouncil.washington.dc.us>  fax: 724-8071
<hbrazil@dccouncil.washington.dc.us>  fax: 724-8156

The mailing address for all of the above is One Judiciary Square,
Washington DC 20001. 

bcc: <parc@waba.org>

To maximize your impact, here are some things you can do:
* follow up your E-mail with a letter via fax or snail mail;
* ask other family members to send separate messages;
* forward this message to others who love Rock Creek Park.

It critically important it is that Councilmembers Patterson and Jarvis
hear your views on traffic in Rock Creek Park--RIGHT NOW, before the Park
Service releases its plan.  With your help, we can make Rock Creek Park a
place where children, seniors, and school field trips can experience
nature every day of the week. 

For more information on PARC's campaign, visit our Web sites:

www.waba.org/wabadocs/parc.htm and
www.sierraclub.org/chapters/dc/RBPARC.htm

Thanks for your support for Rock Creek Park!
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED TO PROTECT ROCK CREEK PARK!