Letter
Dear Ms. Nersesian:
In its public meeting of 17 April conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a revised concept submission for the proposed expansion of the Long Bridge corridor, a complex of bridges and embankments extending between Virginia and the District of Columbia; the scope of this submission includes the northern part of the corridor, from the Potomac River’s east bank to the terminus of Maryland Avenue, SW. Expressing appreciation for the responsiveness to its previous guidance, the Commission approved the revised concept design with the following comments and delegated the review of the final design to the staff.
The Commission members commended the thoughtful planning and coordination process undertaken in the design of this significant transportation infrastructure project, and they emphasized the importance of careful detailing for the success of the final design. For the granite-clad piers and walls, they continued to support the use of dimensional stone instead of a thin veneer, and they strongly recommended creating mockups with both salvaged and newly quarried granite to ensure that the varying stones blend together. For the steel plate girders, they recommended thorough study of the spacing and detailing of the stiffeners, including the use of a consistent square or radius profile throughout the corridor; they also recommended detailing the weathering steel to avoid rust stains on the stone below. They expressed support for minimizing the appearance of the railroad signal structure within the Maryland Avenue viewshed by lowering the structure and painting it a muted gray.
Regarding the design of the landscape, the Commission members agreed that the proposed revisions are more compatible with East and West Potomac Parks. However, they expressed concern that many trees would be removed, including numerous large trees, and they encouraged introducing some specimens of a larger caliper than the proposed one to three inches to increase the range of tree sizes. They said that the proposed planting of trees in more informal groups is an improvement; they recommended also employing this configuration along bridges and embankments where the trees would be visible to pedestrians from multiple perspectives, such as the trees along the approach ramp to the pedestrian bridge over Maine Avenue.
The Commission looks forward to further concept-level review of the southern part of the railway corridor. For the development of the design and coordination of the delegated final review, please continue to consult with the staff which, as always, is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Sarah Batcheler, AIA
Assistant Secretary
Jen Nersesian, Director
Region 1 – National Capital Area
National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242
cc: Jesse Miguel, HNTB
Adrienne McCray, Lee & Associates
Shirlene Cleveland, Virginia Passenger Rail Authority
Sharon Kershbaum, D.C. Department of Transportation