Today, Mayor Bowser cut the ribbon on the new Klingle Valley Trail and celebrated by leading the trail’s inaugural community walk/ride. The event showcased the new trail that stretches from Woodley Park through Cleveland Park and Mount Pleasant and connects to Rock Creek Park. The Mayor was joined by Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Leif Dormsjo, the Klingle Valley Trail project team, Washington Area Bicyclist Association representatives, and community members.
“Back in 2015, we started this project with two goals in mind: turn a washed-out roadway into a beautiful, new trail, and protect Klingle Valley from traffic and pollution,” said Mayor Bowser. “Today, the Klingle Valley Trail, our first road-to-trail project, offers a safe route for bikers and walkers to connect through our Northwest neighborhoods and into Rock Creek Park, and its updated, sustainable infrastructure means we will be able to enjoy this new trail for years to come.”
The new 0.7-mile paved trail was constructed with repurposed material from the formerly washed out Klingle Road and marks the first time the city has converted a road into a trail just for bicyclists and pedestrians. The project was a collaborative effort that involved DDOT, the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DC Water, Washington Gas, WMATA, the DC Office of Historic Preservation, and the Tregaron Conservancy.
The $6 million project involved removing existing road infrastructure, restoring the Klingle Run stream flow, introducing new trees and landscaping, building new retaining walls from reclaimed stone, and installing permeable trail pavement, new drainage and storm water structures, fencing, lighting, benches, and signage. Additionally, a new sidewalk was added along Klingle Road to Porter Street, NW.
“FHWA’s investment of two million dollars into this project will help visitors to the nation’s capital and DC residents alike enjoy the area’s natural wonders,” said Acting Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Butch Waidelich. “Offering people other choices besides roads will also help ease local congestion and make the community more walkable and bikeable.”
Since taking office in 2015, Mayor Bowser has prioritized the development of accessible and safe multi-modal transit routes. Most recently, the District opened the Kenilworth section of the Anacostia Trail in the fall of 2016, adding to the more than 40 miles of trails in the Anacostia watershed. Currently, DC has more than 145 miles of bike lanes and trails throughout the city.
The ribbon cutting is part of Back to Basics DC, an effort to highlight the day-to-day work that keeps the District moving forward. Follow Back to Basics DC on social media using #backtobasicsDC.
For more information about the Klingle Valley Trail, visit klinglevalleytrail.com. To learn more about trails throughout Washington, DC visit ddot.dc.gov/page/bicycle-maps.