Zoo Tunnel June 2015

Date: June 6, 2015
Contact: Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, 202-619-7177

WASHINGTON- Beach Drive between Porter Street NW and Rock Creek Parkway will close between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. June 12th through June 23rd. The temporary night-time closures allow the National Park Service to replace old lights in the Beach Drive Zoo Tunnel with new energy efficient LED lighting. The NPS expects to reduce energy consumption from tunnel lights by 75 percent.

The Harvard Street NW down ramp and the Rock Creek Park multi-use trail will also close. Cyclists and pedestrians will not be able to use the road through the tunnel or detour via the National Zoo. The National Zoo trail closes at 8 p.m. United States Park Police officers will be on-site during the closures for public safety.

The tunnel will also require a single daytime closure on June 25th from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. for final testing.

The lighting project involves replacing 246 existing metal halide light fixtures with 196 new 110 volt LED fixtures. The new LED lights should last approximately 20 years before needing replacement.

Beach Drive Zoo Tunnel Closure:

• Beach Drive will be closed from Porter Street to the Rock Creek Parkway.
• The closures will last from 8pm to 5am each day.
• The closure will last 10 consecutive nights starting Friday, June 12 and ending Tuesday, June 23.
• There will be a single daytime closure Thursday, June 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.