Pursuant to 36 CFR 1.5(a), Rock Creek Park, a unit of the National Park Service, is temporarily closing portions of parkland to motor vehicles, specifically Waterside Drive NW, to allow the safe construction of a roadway rehabilitation project there.
From September 21, 2026 to November 13, 2026, the southern portion of Waterside Drive NW, between the northbound offramp from Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway and Massachusetts Avenue NW, will be closed to through motor vehicle traffic. Embassies and other driveways in the project area will continue to have access to their property via motor vehicle throughout the project duration. During this closure, southbound motor vehicle access to the Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway from Massachusetts Avenue NW will be detoured to the onramp at P Street NW. Northbound traffic on the Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway will need to exit at either the K Street NW off-ramp or at Shoreham Drive NW & Beach Drive NW. This road closure does not include any closures of the sidewalks adjacent to these roads.
From October 25, 2026 to November 13, 2026, the northern portion of Waterside Drive NW, between Massachusetts Avenue NW and the northbound onramp to the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, will be closed to through motor vehicle traffic. Most driveways on this section of roadway will continue to have access to their property via motor vehicle throughout the project duration. Northbound access to Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway will not be available from Massachusetts Avenue NW during this closure as a detour alternative does not exist.
The closures will be designated by posted signage and/or law enforcement officer or traffic control personnel. Violation of the closure is prohibited. Nearby residents have also been notified of the closure via fliers at doors and other outreach.
The temporary closure of this park area is necessary to protect the public and construction workers during the pavement rehabilitation project, which will involve heavy equipment and temporarily unusable road conditions. Less restrictive measures are not possible given the need to safely conduct this work. This temporary and partial closure is not of a nature, magnitude and duration that will result in a "significant alteration in the public use pattern." Other nearby roads will still remain open for vehicle travel.
Accordingly, the National Park Service determines publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unwarranted under 36 CFR 1.5(b). This determination is consistent with hundreds of earlier partial or temporary closures, the legal opinion of the Office of the Solicitor, and judicial adjudications that have upheld other National Park Service closures and public use limitations to include Spiegel v. Babbitt, 855 F. Supp. 402 (D.D.C.1994) affd in part w/o op. 56 F. 3d 1531 (D.C. Cir. 1995), reportedinfull, 1995 US App. Lexis 15200 (D.C. Cir. May 31, 1995); ANSWER Coalition v. Norton, No. 02-1715 (D.D.C. August 22, 2002), plaintiffs emergency motion for appeal for injunction pending appealed denied Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02-5275 (D.C. Cir.September 9, 2002) (per curium); Picciottov United States, No. 99-2113 (D.D.C. August 6,2000); Picciottov. Lujan, No. 90-1261 (D.D.C. May 30, 1990); and Picciottov. Hodel, No. 87-3290 (D.D.C. December 7, 1987).
Pursuant to 36 CFR 1.5(c), 1.7, notice of this temporary closure will be made through media advisories, officer and employee directions, roadway gates, and the posting of signs at conspicuous locations in the affected park road areas. Finally, pursuant to 36 CFR 1.5(c), this determination is available to the public upon request.
Brian D. Joyner
Superintendent
