University Scraps 'Loop Road' in Revised Campus Plan

On Monday, announced it will no longer pursue a plan to build a "loop" road around campus, after the proposal was met with strong objections by neighborhood residents and local officials earlier this summer.

"During the process this spring, we heard serious objections to the design of this road from some of our neighbors," said University Spokeswoman Stacy Kerry, in a prepared statement. "We therefore engaged in an extensive and serious effort to revisit other alternatives."

The road was originally designed to allow university buses "to circle the campus and minimize the amount of time they needed to be on neighborhood streets," Kerr said.

During zoning commission hearings in June, though, a DDOT report indicated the proposed loop road would impact the "major regional corridor of Canal Road."

ANC-3d Commissioner Ann Haas, who represents the Foxhall Village neighborhood, also expressed her that the loop road would have become an access road for the university's next hospital facility. On Monday, Haas said she was "delighted" and grateful to D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh, who also voiced objections to the loop road plan.

In a phone interview with Patch, Cheh said she is thankful Georgetown responded to the community’s concerns.

"I went out there and I toured Georgetown and I visited what the proposed site would be and I concluded that it wasn’t really necessary," Cheh said. "That road would have created...a lot of noise pollution, light pollution, air pollution. Why create all those ills when there is a viable alternative?"

Kerr said the university took these objections under consideration when deciding to scrap this facet of the proposed campus plan.

“This week Georgetown University is informing DDOT, the Office of Planning and the National Park Service that we are no longer pursuing the loop road as proposed in the campus plan filed in December 2010. Instead, we have identified a new location near Harbin Hall, in the center of campus, for the bus turn around," she said.

“Throughout this process, our goal was to balance the interests of our neighbors with the needs of the University.  We looked for alternatives that would meet our goals of pedestrian safety and walkways and centralizing buses in the middle of campus of campus, away from neighborhood streets. The Harbin location meets those goals.  It will allow improved access to the center of campus for our faculty, staff and students in a way that also improves pedestrian walkways and addresses pedestrian safety concerns. And it responds affirmatively to the interests of all of our neighbors.”

The zoning commission will hold its next meeting on the Georgetown University campus plan on Nov. 17.

The hearings surrounding the proposed campus plan have drawn ire from Georgetown residents and public officials, alike, this year. Councilmember Cheh said she was unsure if this loop road compromise would help advance the dialogue later this year, when the Zoning Commission holds its next meeting on the issue Nov. 17.

"It certainly creates a better atmosphere for talking and working through issues," Cheh said.

The hearings were continued from mid-June to allow the applicant and DDOT more time to evaluate traffic impact.