facilities renewal master plan - National Zoo - Smithsonian Institution

FACILITIES MASTER PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Creek ecosystem could disturb areas A010. Ground disturbance in these areas could
damage or destroy archeological resources.
The improvements proposed to alleviate congestion along the North Road through a
comprehensive traffic and parking management strategy include the construction of two
traffic circles and a limited-use turn lane on North Road at the Harvard Street Bridge/
Beach Drive entrance. The traffic circle would physically impact areas A007, A008, and
A009. Ground disturbance in these areas could damage or destroy archeological
resources.
In summary, before any ground disturbance associated with Alternative C improvements,
the presence or absence of archeological resources in these areas of high archeological
potential needs to be verified by testing. Alternative C may have minor to moderate long
term adverse impacts through the proposed new construction as it would physically
impact areas of high potential for prehistoric archeological resources. As the final designs
for these improvements have not been fully developed, consultation with the Washington,
DC Historic Preservation Office through the Section 106 process should establish
appropriate testing and mitigation efforts.
Mitigation for the Preferred Alternative
As design for individual projects commences, SI will continue to consult with NCPC, and
the DC HPO regarding potential impacts to archeological resources. In areas of high
archeological potential, testing will occur prior to any ground disturbing activities. When
applicable, specific mitigation measures for impacts to archeological resources will be
detailed as part of the conceptual design process.
C. Socioeconomics
C.1 Aesthetics/Visual Resources
The area of visual influence a project may have on its surrounding environs is determined
by estimating the visibility of the proposed action to viewers from public places. Factors
that help determine the viewshed include the scale of a project, its proposed location, and
the surrounding topography. The location of visual resources can be described in terms
of foreground, middleground, and background. Resources that may have particular
sensitivity include animal exhibits, historic structures, and background resources such as
Rock Creek Park.
Views that are considered important to the character of the National Zoo and the visitor
experience include:
Views from Olmsted Walk at the top of the hill east towards Adams Morgan (see
photo 1)
View near visitor center looking southeast to Adams Morgan, and further south to
the views of the Washington, DC skyline (see photo 2)
View along Olmsted Walk looking to the Great Lawn (see photo 3)
A southern view down Rock Creek from Beaver Valley (see photo 4)
View near Small Mammals House looking southeast to Adams Morgan
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION – NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK 81 | P a g e