Neighborhood Notes - Foxhall: 29 November, 2000
New traffic lights on Canal Rd in a median break at GU’s
southern entrance have been installed by DPW, mainly for dump trucks removing excavated
material for the new underground parking garage, dorm/dining and Jesuit residence. These
lights are at a temporary location, restricted to non rush-hour operation only (9:30 am
– 3 pm). Their purpose is to keep these dump trucks, as frequent as one every minute,
out of residential streets. Without this median break, agreed to as part of this project’s
Environmental Assessment, trucks would either have had to use the narrow Prospect St
entrance, or come up Foxhall Rd, loop through Q St and back down MacArthur, as they had
already started to do. The project has a Hot-Line number 687-4773 for any
operational problems that residents may observe (recommend use a video camera to record
any problems).
Last week’s article on the Glover Park community’s
endeavor to protect Glover-Archbold Park from illegal dumping reminds us how vulnerable
this narrow corridor is. As one of 93 separate pieces of land under jurisdiction of Rock
Creek Park Superintendent Adrienne Coleman, NPS have their hands full just mowing those
areas that are set aside for recreation or open space.
Academic institutions and associations on either side of
Glover-Archbold Park should consider entering into public-private agreements to “adopt”
segments of this skinny park. With the right volunteer leadership, young and old could
work side-by-side to e.g. remove noxious invasive non-native species, haul out trash for
curbside disposal, help maintain permanent trails, and to remain vigilant to bordering
developments that could increase runoff and erosion.
Such honest toil can be a constructive alternative
student discipline for universities looking to ways to more meaningfully sanction rowdy
behavior, and for school-age classes to perform useful service with an
educational/environmental focus.
© Bob
Andrew, Foxhall
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