District to Hold First-Ever “Feet in the Street” Event

From http://www.dc.gov/

Car Free Celebration in Fort Dupont Park on Saturday, August 29

Media Contacts:
John Lisle at (202) 671-2004
Karyn LeBlanc at (202) 671-3490

(Washington, DC) Walkers, runners, bikers, and skaters will have the streets to themselves at the first-ever Feet in the Street celebration in the District on Saturday, August 29, 2009. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the National Park Service are teaming up to host the car-free event in Fort Dupont Park in Southeast Washington to promote physical activity, green transportation choices, and community spirit.

Fort Dupont is one of the largest parks in the District with 376 acres to explore. On August 29, the roadways in the park, including Fort Davis Drive and Fort Dupont Drive, will be closed to motor vehicles from 9 am to 3 pm. Residents and visitors are invited to come put their Feet in the Street and run, walk, bike, skate, and play along this 1.6 mile long corridor. There will also be organized activities and programs including:

Guided nature hikes
Guided bike rides
Bicycle skill sessions for kids
WABA’s Confident City Cycling classes for adults
Free bike rentals from Bike and Roll
Physical fitness demonstrations
Community garden tours
Healthy Food = Healthy Community workshop
Invasive plant removal outings

Feet in the Street is modeled on similar car-free events in other cities around the world, including Ciclovia in Bogota, Columbia and the closing of Broadway in New York City.

“Temporary street celebrations like this have proved to be wildly popular in other cities,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein. “They really draw people out in the community, inspire them to be active and at the same time, shake up traditional ideas about what our transportation networks should look like.”

Feet in the Street is co-sponsored by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the District Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Participating organizations include Unique Development, Fathers First, the Anacostia Watershed Society, the Environmental Leadership Program, Trips for Kids, Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts, and the Far Northeast Consortium.

Participants are encouraged to cycle, walk or take transit to the event if possible, but a limited amount of parking will be available at the Fort Dupont Activity Center. Drivers can access the parking from Fort Dupont Drive. The park is also accessible on Metrobus’ U and V lines. Use Metro’s Trip Planner to plot your route.

For more information and updates about the event in the coming weeks, please visit www.godcgo.com, or contact Anna McLaughlin of DDOT at anna.mclaughlin@dc.gov or (202) 478-9121.

For more Congress Heights and River East news visit The Congress Heights Examiner website, http://www.examiner.com/x-13507-Congress-Heights-Community-Examiner


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