Breaking News: Klingle Road Likely to Remain Closed
The D.C. Council Committee on Public Works and the Environment just voted 3 to 2 to keep Klingle Road closed.
Klingle Road, which has been the subject of debate since it closed 17 years ago, would have been reopened under Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's budget plan after an 8 to 5 council vote in 2003 to, in fact, reopen it.
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), chairman of the committee, and member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) were outnumbered at a budget markup.
At first, Graham thought he had won today's debate, counting Council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large) as a yes after he proposed to delay any decision and holding a public hearing, particularly to hear from residents who want the road to stay open. He said they believed the road is supposed to reopen based on the council's votes five years ago.
Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), who has pushed for the road to remain closed, immediately objected to the miscount. "Roll call. The ayes do not have it," she said.
Graham recounted with a show of hands. Yvette M. Alexander (D-Ward 7) also opposed the vote.
"The motion does not pass," Graham said.
Debate continues on what to do with the $2 million that would have started the reopening of the road.
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By Nikita R Stewart |
April 30, 2008; 3:20 PM ET
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D.C. Council
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Posted by: Jeffrey | April 30, 2008 5:18 PM
Yet another attempt to keep the black man out of the white man's neighborhood. The days of those west of Rock Creek trying to keep those east of Rock Creek away are still with us. What was a major arterial to access public health facilities (and bypass overly congested Connecticut Ave) as well as restaurants, not to mention the ability to go west of DC, has been cut off. Glad to know the greater public interest is still in mind.
Posted by: Demetrius | April 30, 2008 5:36 PM
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Surely a portion of that $2 million could be used to remove all the "Fix Klingle Road" and "Save Klingle Valley Park" signs still littering Mount Pleasant.
("Klingle Valley Park." Hilarious.)