The National Park Service is proposing to reopen the upper stretch of Beach Drive NW in Rock Creek Park for most of the year/NPS file

For more than two years the upper portion of Beach Drive through Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., has been closed to motorized vehicles, and now the National Park Service is proposing to allow vehicles to return for nine months of the year in a move it describes as "the best way to protect park resources and strike a balance of different users..."

The plan, open for public review and input, strives to take in the desires of visitors who like to walk, bike, commute, or simply enjoy a drive through Rock Creek Park. Under the proposal, vehicles would be banned from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day.

Previous proposals for the management of the upper portion of Beach Drive called for making the current full-time closure to motorized vehicles permanent or reverting to the pre-pandemic schedule of weekend and holiday closures. 

“Rock Creek Park provides endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, exploration and relaxation in the heart of Washington, D.C.,” said Julia Washburn, Rock Creek Park's superintendent. “The preferred alternative is a compromise that will allow us to best protect natural resources, while providing access to this beloved area of the park to the greatest number of visitors.”  

Beginning in late April 2020, the NPS temporarily expanded the closure of the upper portion of Beach Drive to increase socially distanced recreational opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists. This closure has provided a valuable opportunity for park visitors to recreate more freely and safely within Rock Creek Park. Adopting a seasonal closure schedule will allow visitors to enjoy the park’s recreation and nature opportunities during the summer and will allow drivers to commute through the park when there are fewer recreational visitors.  

The seasonal closure would include Bingham Drive (0.43 miles), Sherrill Drive (0.34 miles) and Beach Drive (4.28 miles) in three sections:  

• From Broad Branch Road to Joyce Road,  

• From Picnic Area 10 to Wise Road, and  

• From West Beach Drive to the Maryland boundary.  

Between Joyce Road and Picnic Area 10, Beach Drive would remain open to motorized vehicles only to access group picnic areas and parking lots. Ross Drive would always be open to motorized vehicles. 

The environmental assessment on the plan acknowledges that while a seasonal closure for recreation could delay motorists and increase travel times to key park sites or through the park in the summer, including during peak weekday travel times, these impacts would not be substantial. Based on a traffic analysis performed in collaboration with the District Department of Transportation, traffic delays and impacts are predicted to be minor and could be mitigated with tools like adjusting traffic light timing, adding signals and stop signs, and implementing traffic calming measures.  

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic on the upper portion of Beach Drive varied between approximately 5,500-8,000 vehicles per weekday. By comparison, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway averaged approximately 50,000 vehicles per weekday. 

As part of the EA process, the NPS analyzed the potential for the proposed closures to impact visitor use and experience, transportation and safety, historic districts and cultural landscapes, and wildlife and habitat.   

In 1966, the NPS limited driver access to Beach Drive on Sundays between Joyce Road and Broad Branch Road to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to use the road exclusively for the first time. In the early 1980s, the NPS expanded non-motorized use to include Saturdays and federal holidays and extended the closure north to the Maryland state line.   

If implemented, the NPS will monitor the effects of a seasonal closure. The selection of the preferred alternative will allow the superintendent to expand or reduce the closure in the future, based on changes to the condition of park resources and the visitor experience.    

The upper portion of Beach Drive will remain closed until a final determination is made later this year.  

Through August 11 the public can learn more and comment on the plan at this site. There also will be a virtual public meeting on July 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Join the meeting. To connect to audio, use the meeting website link or dial, +1 202-640-1187, 146280403#.  A recording of the meeting will also be available to view at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/beachdrive after the meeting.   

Mailed comments can be sent to:

Superintendent 

ATTN: Beach Drive  

Rock Creek Park 

3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW 

Washington, DC 20008