History of the gravel paths on the National Mall

[PotomacCyclist]

Although much of the National Mall has been torn up for the ongoing renovation process, parts of the gravel paths are still open and in place. These run east-west from 14th St. to 3rd St. NW and SW. Many people walk or run along these wide paths. Some also bike, although the gravel surface is not ideal for skinny road bike tires. Capital Bikeshare bikes work, at slower speeds. These paths lie in between Madison Drive NW and Jefferson Drive SW.

The McMillan Plan was published in 1902. Among other recommendations, the plan included a proposal for four boulevards, two on either side of the Mall. These were named Madison Drive, Washington Drive, Adams Drive and Jefferson Drive.

In 1971, the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool was completed. I believe this involved the removal of all four of those drives between 1st and 3rd Streets NW/SW.

Then in 1976, the inner drives (Washington and Adams) were converted into the wide gravel paths that you see today (except for the section being renovated).

Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive remain as standard paved roads.

Sources
– “A History of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Park,” National Park Service (2006?)
http://www.nps.gov/nationalmallplan/Documents/mallpaavhistory.pdf

– “The National Mall: Rethinking Washington’s Monumental Core,” Nathan Glazer, Cynthia R. Field (2008)
https://books.google.com/books?id=V83SKEMbIY4C&pg=PA184&lpg=PA184&dq=washington+drive+adams+drive+national+mall&source=bl&ots=7zGpEV1940&sig=gvxpnpkpgWBZFhPc1TB8FsOfq8M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kitBVZXtH4WbNu_HgNgM&ved=0CEwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=washington%20drive%20adams%20drive%20national%20mall&f=false

Topic

[Mikey]

@PotomacCyclist 114719 wrote:

Although much of the National Mall has been torn up for the ongoing renovation process, parts of the gravel paths are still open and in place. These run east-west from 14th St. to 3rd St. NW and SW. Many people walk or run along these wide paths. Some also bike, although the gravel surface is not ideal for skinny road bike tires. Capital Bikeshare bikes work, at slower speeds. These paths lie in between Madison Drive NW and Jefferson Drive SW.

. . . These were named Madison Drive, Washington Drive, Adams Drive and Jefferson Drive.. . .

. . .Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive remain as standard paved roads.

It bothers me for some reason that they wouldn’t run in order W-A-J-M, I guess they did an alternating South, North, inside/outside pattern around the theoretical West Capital street.

[Author]

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