News Release

National Park Service approves plan for transportation upgrades at Fletcher’s Cove

NPS

News Release Date: February 11, 2020

Contact: Jonathan Shafer, 202-619-7186

WASHINGTON—The National Park Service (NPS) has approved a plan to improve access to Fletcher’s Cove in Washington, DC. The improvements will enable direct, safe travel between Canal Road and the Fletcher’s Boathouse. The NPS plans to build new entrance ramps, reconfigure and resurface existing parking lots and add new, marked pedestrian crossings.

“Anyone who has visited Fletcher’s Cove knows how tricky it can be to get down the narrow ramp to the parking lot,” Superintendent Tina M. Cappetta said. “The new, wider, two-way entrance for drivers will provide a safer, more direct connection between Fletcher's Cove and Canal Road, and the new pedestrian and bicyclist crossing near the existing entrance will improve access from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath and the Capital Crescent Trail.”

The project area is located on NPS land between Canal Road and the Potomac River in the Palisades neighborhood of Washington, DC. This area is part of Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal National Historical Park.

Park managers plan to continue with design and will implement these improvements as funding becomes available. Check this page to see a map of the upgrades.

A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Fletcher’s Boathouse Transportation Upgrades Environmental Assessment (EA) was signed on Feb. 6, 2020 by the acting Director, Region 1 - National Capital Area. The FONSI is the decision-making document for the project, and it determined that the project will have no significant impacts. The FONSI and the EA are available online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/FletchersEA.