Comment on Great Falls Park’s new fees

[chris_s]

NPS is accepting comments on increased fees at Great Falls Park (both MD and VA). They are proposing to raise the vehicle pass (which includes all passengers) price from $10 to $15 and the person (on foot, bike or horse) price from $5 to $7.

I thought folks might feel inclined to comment. Here’s what I submitted if anyone wants to crib.

The fees as structured, provide an economic incentive to drive to Great Falls and fail to properly account for the increased costs that the Park incurs to build & maintain a parking lot for those cars.

Under the proposed fees, a family of three who drives to Great Falls all in car would pay $15. That same family of three if they arrived on foot or by bicycle would pay $21 despite not putting any significant wear and tear on the roads and despite not taking up a parking space.

A better fee structure would assess a per-person fee, no matter what means of transportation your arrive via + an additional per-car surcharge to compensate the Park for the capital costs, maintenance costs and environmental damage created by the parking lot.

An example might be:
$6 per person + $5 per car

So that family of three who arrives in a single car would pay $23 (3 x $6 for people plus $5 for the car), if they arrived by foot or by bike they would pay $18 (just the 3 x $6 for the people). This incentivises environmentally-sustainable transportation methods and better aligns the fee structure with the park’s costs.

Topic

[mstone]

@huskerdont 166556 wrote:

Because of going there often enough for kayaking, and trips to SNP, I get the $80 yearly pass, which is worth it if you go often enough and can afford it. Otherwise, yeah, if money is tight, just park at Difficult Run (or Angler’s Inn, etc.) and walk/run/ride in.

I don’t mind supporting the park service, but I would prefer that it were properly funded so that everyone can enjoy the parks. This is why we pay taxes–so we can have nice things. It shouldn’t be so expensive that only the middle and upper class can visit them. /cranky rant

I have an annual pass, am all for supporting the parks, and hate the fact that it’s cheaper to drive than bike a group to a national park. It makes no sense at all. (This is SOP nationwide, not something they’re making up for Great Falls).

[elbows]

Even if you know a free way in or have an annual pass, if you want to speak up on this (nutty) policy, you have 6 days remaining. (Closes Nov 6.)

[cvcalhoun]

@mstone 166691 wrote:

I have an annual pass, am all for supporting the parks, and hate the fact that it’s cheaper to drive than bike a group to a national park. It makes no sense at all. (This is SOP nationwide, not something they’re making up for Great Falls).

Yeah, I have a lifetime senior pass, so I can bring myself and three other people in for free — if we’re all in a car. However, if we arrive on four bikes, the other three all have to pay.

[mattotoole]

Please note that the annual pass is unchanged at $80/year. This is a screaming deal if ever there was one; and I would think a no-brainer for anyone living near a National Park where they like to go, especially with family and friends.

If I lived in Potomac again, I would definitely have one just to pop in and out of Great Falls when I felt like it.

Sen. Kaine has a bill that we’d love to see move forward, but…

We’re doing what we can, which may wind up being to publicize and encourage people to buy annual passes. Maybe this can help raise some short term cash for our friends at NPS.

Cursory numbers I’ve heard are about $500MM being cut from NPS’ $2.9B budget. If this bothers you, write to your congressmen and senators.

[Judd]

@mattotoole 167595 wrote:

Cursory numbers I’ve heard are about $500MM being cut from NPS’ $2.9B budget. If this bothers you, write to your congressmen and senators.

If it results in NPS firing their guy parked in the 15th St Cycletrack this morning, I’m probably fine with this.

[mstone]

@mattotoole 167595 wrote:

Please note that the annual pass is unchanged at $80/year. This is a screaming deal if ever there was one; and I would think a no-brainer for anyone living near a National Park where they like to go, especially with family and friends.[/quote]
I honestly don’t expect that not to go up, but I’ll still probably get one to support the parks.

Quote:

Cursory numbers I’ve heard are about $500MM being cut from NPS’ $2.9B budget. If this bothers you, write to your congressmen and senators.

We are no longer a country that can do things for any reason other than the bottom line.

[Author]

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