South parkway safety study frequently asked questions

The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing to assess safety on the southern part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Future plans for the park will be shaped through a public engagement process.

 

How is the National Park Service sharing information about progress on the study?

The National Park Service has hosted two public meetings about the safety study, and you can read it online.

On Thursday, July 11, 2019 we shared our preliminary research on safety on the southern part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 we shared some options to improve conditions.

On April 5, 2021 we released our plans to begin implementing the study's recommendations in fall 2021.

What kinds of changes might the National Park Service make to the road in response to the study?

In the fall of 2021, the NPS plans to begin:

• Restriping the road to implement a road diet while maintaining driving capacity.

  • This means changing road markings between Tulane Drive and Stratford Lane so that there will be three travel lanes (2 northbound, 1 southbound) and one turn lane.

• Increasing visibility of lane markings.
• Removing vegetation at intersections to improve visibility.

In the future and as resources allow, the NPS may also implement other recommendations from the study. The study recommends:

• Changing the road to accommodate left- and U-turns sat Belle View Boulevard and Belle Haven Marina.

• Installing rectangular rapid flash beacons at some pedestrian and bicycle crossings.

• Adding refuge islands in the middle of the parkway at some pedestrian and bicycle crossings.

• Building roundabouts at some intersections. The NPS is planning to implement these changes over-time and as resources allow. We will not implement them all at the same time.

How will this work affect drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists who are on the southern part of the parkway or Mount Vernon Trail?

Depending on what (if any) changes the NPS decides to adopt, drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists may see more work crews on the parkway. The NPS will share information about the work with the public online and through the media.

How will the National Park Service act on what it learns through the study?

The NPS is comprehensively analyzing data on safety along the southern part of the parkway to make a plan for actions going forward. The NPS will use this data and your input to make a plan for how to make the road safer while preserving its historic appearance.

How can I stay up to date?

Check the park planning website for updates.

 

Rendering of road diet layout near Morningside Lane showing three travel lanes (two northbound, one southbound) and a turn lane.

NPS