Short Section of Scenic Drive Temporarily Closed on March 17-19

Map showing a detour around the closed section of the park's Scenic Drive

NPS Map

The National Park Service, Prince William Forest Park, is limiting public motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian use on the park’s Scenic Drive to permit safe operation of a construction project. Specifically, beginning Monday March 17, 2025, at 7:00 a.m., through Wednesday March 19, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., local time, Scenic Drive will be closed in its entirety to public motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian travel from the Park Entrance Road intersection, to approximately Mile Marker 1.

Park Entrance Road will remain open with no restrictions to Pine Grove Picnic Area and the Visitor Center. The impacted area will be delineated by physical barriers and staff. Violation of the limitation is prohibited. It is the assessment of the National Park Service that the limitation is necessary to protect contract construction staff and the public during the work to excavate the roadway to allow for the replacement of below grade stormwater infrastructure. Due to the narrowness of the roadway in this area, depth of construction, and presence of construction equipment and workers, less restrictive measures will not suffice to provide for construction staff and public safety. Traffic control staff will be on hand to assist motorists with accessing Scenic Drive via a detour route. The detour route will direct the public to Park Headquarters Rd for alternate access to Scenic Drive.

This temporary and partial use limitation is not of a nature, magnitude and duration that will result in a “significant alteration in the public use pattern.” The closure will not adversely affect the park’s natural, aesthetic, or cultural values; nor require significant modification to the resource management objectives; nor is it of a highly controversial nature. To the contrary: this construction activity is necessary to correct deficient below grade stormwater infrastructure, and a detour route to the open areas of Scenic Drive will be available. Due to the nature of the work, it is not safe to allow this potion of roadway to remain open. Accordingly, the National Park Service determines publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unwarranted under 36 C.F.R. §1.5(b). This is consistent with earlier partial and temporary park closures or public use limitations and judicial adjudications.

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.7, notice of this temporary and partial closure will be made through public postings at conspicuous locations in the affected park area. Finally, pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5(c), this determination is available to the public upon request.