Rock Creek Park GMP/EIS

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The National Park Service will implement the preferred alternative from the Final GMP, Alternative A: Improved Management of Established Park Uses as described in the GMP. This alternative constitutes the National Park Service's selected action for the park and parkway. The NPS has selected Alternative A based on its ability to best respond to the recreational, environmental, and traffic considerations for the short- and long-term future of the park and without impairing park resources.

Under Alternative A the existing park roadway system would be retained and non-recreational through-traffic would be accommodated. It would continue weekday auto travel throughout the park, but would implement traffic-calming and speed enforcement measures to reduce traffic speeds and volumes to improve visitor safety and better control traffic volumes and speeds through the park. Speed tables and additional traffic signs would be installed on Beach Drive in the gorge area. Alternative A also would enhance interpretation and education opportunities and improve the use of park resources, especially cultural resources. It generally would retain the current scope of visitor uses. Alternative A would:

• Upgrade trails and rehabilitate deteriorating segments.

• Rehabilitate the Peirce Mill complex to focus on the history of milling and land use in the
area. This would expand on the already completed rehabilitation of the Peirce Mill Barn.

• Move the park administrative offices out of the Peirce-Klingle Mansion at Linnaean Hill. The
preferred approach would be to locate these offices in commercial space outside the park. If
this proved not to be feasible, a new office facility would be constructed at an already disturbed area within the park, such as at the maintenance yard.

• Rehabilitate the Linnaean Hill complex for adaptive use compatible with park values.

• Move the U.S. Park Police substation out of the Lodge House on Beach Drive at Joyce Road. The preferred approach would be to use commercial space outside the park. If this proved not to be feasible, a new park police substation would be constructed within an already disturbed area in the park, such as near the existing U.S. Park Police H-3 stables.

• Convert the Lodge House to a visitor contact station for park orientation, information, and interpretation.

• Rehabilitate and expand the nature center and upgrade the planetarium to improve effectiveness of public programs.

Adrienne Coleman, Superintendent

Contact Information

Adrienne Coleman, Superintendent
3545 Williamsburg Lane NW
Washington, D.C. 20008-1207
202-895-6000