Section 106 Meeting: Banneker Park Pedestrian Access Improvements Project

SECTION 106 CONSULTING PARTIES MEETING Concerning:
BANNEKER PARK PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

 In accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Park Service (NPS) and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) invite you to participate in a consulting parties meeting for the proposed pedestrian access improvements at Benjamin Banneker Park in Washington, DC.

As part of the planning process, the NPS and NCPC have developed a range of alternatives for an improved pedestrian connection between Banneker Park, which is under the jurisdiction of the National Mall and Memorial Parks (NAMA), and the waterfront along Maine Avenue, SW, as identified in the SW Ecodistrict Plan and the National Mall Plan. The proposed connection includes the construction of a temporary stairway and ADA-compliant ramp between the overlook at Banneker Park, a NPS property, and the southwest waterfront near the Wharf redevelopment. In addition to the stairway and ramp, the project includes landscaping, improvements to pedestrian crosswalks, lighting installation, universal accessibility, and stormwater management.

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects they carry out, approve, or fund on historic properties. As part of the Section 106 process, an Area of Potential Effects (APE) has been identified for the project. Several properties within the APE, including Banneker Park, are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the DC Inventory of Historic Sites, or have been determined eligible for listing. The primary objectives of the Section 106 consulting parties meeting will be to discuss the project alternatives, the potential effects the project may have on historic resources, including Banneker Park, and to identify potential opportunities to minimize adverse effects.
 
The NPS and NCPC have also initiated work on an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NPS and NCPC conducted public scoping in July and August 2015 to seek public input as part of the NEPA process and as required by Section 106. During the scoping period, a public open house was hosted by the NPS and NCPC on August 11, 2015. This event provided an opportunity for interested parties to learn about the project, ask questions, provide comments, identify concerns to be addressed throughout the NEPA and Section 106 processes, and sign up as a consulting party. 

Prior to the consulting parties meeting, this meeting notice, an agenda, alternatives graphics, and an APE map will be posted to the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website at:  http://parkplanning.nps.gov/BannekerConnection. You will be notified when this information has been posted.

We encourage your attendance at this consulting parties meeting and look forward to your involvement in the Section 106 process for this project. Please confirm your attendance. If you require additional information or special assistance to attend and participate in this meeting please contact Catherine Dewey, Chief of Resource Management for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, at catherine_dewey@nps.gov.