A couple of updates on National Park Service (NPS) issues in the neighborhood.

North Michigan Park-Fort Totten Metro Pedestrian Path

Neighbor Gavin noted the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) will consider approval of preliminary and final site development plans for the North Michigan Park-Fort Totten Metro pedestrian path at a meeting on April 4, 2024 (titled Fort Totten Trail Realignment on the agenda).

This formal path between Gallatin and Galloway streets NE in parkland near Fort Totten Metro station has been delayed for years, first due to the discovery of an unexploded WWI ordnance during construction and then when workers encountered the high point of Metro’s tunnel. NPS had to determine a more suitable location for the path.

In January of this year, NPS stated that they were at about 70% design on the new realignment and expected the design to be completed this spring.

According to an NCPC February 2024 project report prepared by NPS, the path will be shifted about 20 feet to the east of the original location to avoid interference with Metro infrastructure. The path will be 10 feet wide. Eleven trees will have to be removed.

The report states:

A preferred alternative was selected in December 2022 from this study to realign the trail and the south entrance approximately 20 feet to the east, to redesign the entry at the south end of the trail and redesign the trail centerline profile to maximize tunnel coverage. A drainage ditch for the proposed new trail will drain to the DDOT catch basin and trench. Bollards will be employed at both sides of the tunnel to restrict the entry of heavy vehicles over the tunnel area. The trail profile will provide allowable steep grades with landings to meet accessibility criteria according to the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standards with a goal of increasing the cover over the tunnel.

The realigned trail will meet WMATA’s max loading requirements. Part of the trail from Galloway Street to just before the tunnel will utilize permeable pavement. The remaining part of the trail that goes over the tunnel and down to Gallatin Street NE will utilize concrete which meets WMATA’s requirement for 30 inch frost depth above the tunnel.

The construction document phase will be completed Spring/Summer 2024. The construction solicitation phase is expected to occur in late 2024, pending the availability of funding, which has not been identified at this time.

The anticipated construction cost is approximately $650,000.

The project is listed under the “Proposed Exceptions” section on the agenda. Proposed exceptions are “types of projects where NCPC staff determines that a project is exempt from Commission review, based on certain criteria.”

NPS stated earlier this week that they are actively seeking construction funding and that discussions continue within NPS and with the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding investigations and potential site remediation in the areas where the unexploded ordnances were found.

Fort Totten Park Soil Testing

With respect to the request for more comprehensive soil testing in Fort Totten Park, NPS states that they continue to work with the Army Corps to identify funding to investigate unexploded ordnance and any site contamination issues in Fort Totten Park.