People's Alliance for Rock Creek (PARC)

For the latest on the efforts to reduce car traffic through the Rock Creek National Park, see the People's Alliance for Rock Creek (PARC) web pages. Below is a bit of recent history on the ongoing effort.


Rock Creek Park Alert 06/97

Date: Sat, 21 Jun 1997 14:09:39
From: rick@waba.org

June 21, 1997

Dear Bicyclist:

Do you bicycle in Rock Creek Park? If, so, you know that it's a lovely place to ride -- except for the traffic and the narrow, bumpy trail. Now we have a golden opportunity to improve bicycling and recreation in Rock Creek Park. The National Park Service is now preparing a "general management plan" (GMP) for the Park -- for the first time in its 100-year history. The next few weeks is the most critical time, because right now the Park Service is gathering public comments on four different scenarios for Rock Creek Park's future.

The GMP scenarios include some great ideas for reducing automobile traffic and improving recreational facilities in Rock Creek Park -- including permanent closure of parts of Beach Drive and major trail improvements. But in order for these measures to be included in the final plan, NPS needs to know that the public is behind them! If you saw Thursday's Washington Post (Metro Section, 6/19), you know that the Park Service has promised to leaflet automobiles that commute through the Park to solicit their input. So its critical for those of us who use Rock Creek Park as a park to make our voices heard, too! Here's what you can do right now: