Letter
Dear Mr. Vogel:
In its meeting of 20 October, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a concept design for a new pedestrian bridge over Rock Creek, within the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway near the south portal of the Beach Drive tunnel. The Commission expressed support for the proposed design and approved the submission with the following comments.
The Commission members emphasized the importance of maintaining the woodland character of the Rock Creek valley and encouraged a varied and less formal landscape that includes trees. Accordingly, they recommended selecting native plant species instead of cultivars; softening the rigid, highway-like treatment of the stabilized embankment with more substantial vegetation; and developing an alternative design for the stepped planters at the tunnel portal that is more modest in scale and less formally planted. For the bridge, they recommended the use of a cable rail to maintain a light and transparent appearance, and they suggested keeping the lighting on the bridge as subtle as possible.
The Commission looks forward to the review of the next submission. As always, the staff is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Robert Vogel, Regional Director
National Park Service, National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242
cc: Steve Zeender, Stantec
Zahra Dorriz, D.C. Department of Transportation