Kennedy Center: The Kennedy Center is in the last stages of a program to renovate its riverfront terrace for pedestrians and visitors, later soliciting feedback from resident’s final month. The Potomac River Pedestrian Access Improvement Project calls for a directly pedestrian road to be built after this year between the performing arts venue's terrace and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway trail, so visitors will be able to access the area along the river. For now, "physical barriers and safety concerns currently discourage pedestrian traffic between these 2 resources," according to info provided by the National Park Service, Federal main road Administration and the D.C. Department of Transportation. Jack Van Dop, a senior technical specialist for the Federal main road Administration, said the design calls for 2 stairways and 2 elevators to be built on the east side of the building, facing the Potomac. Because Rock Creek Parkway is between the building and riverfront, the stairways will be built over the route, extending from the center's terrace. Development of the program started in 2003 and a design was submitted and approved by the United States Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in 2007. The next step is for the Federal Highway Administration - part of the America Section of Transportation - to submit the last design to these commissions. An environmental assessment is currently being done on this last plan, and it should be finished by June or July of this year," Van Dop said. Although the total cost of the construction is not yet known, "the funds are coming from the federal government, with a small piece from the District government," Van Dop said. The addition to the center is expected to be perfect within the next year or so. It's desired that construction would begin in the latter part of 2011 and construction would probably take a year or year and a half," Van Dop said. He noted that the construction was unlikely to disrupt parkway traffic. A goal of the project is to also minimize disruption to the Kennedy Center or users of the park's trail during the renovations. Kennedy Center
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