WHILE TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

ADAM TUSS BRINGS US BOTH SIDES

OF THIS GROWING DEBATE.

>> Reporter: TAKE A LOOK AT

THIS.

PEOPLE EXERCISING.

TAKING WALKS.

EVEN STROLLING THEIR BABIES IN

THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY’RE

TRYING TO KEEP THEIR DISTANCE

WHILE OUT AND ABOUT.

THAT’S OPENING UP A DEBATE ABOUT

WHETHER OR NOT ROADS SHOULD BE

CLOSED AND REPURPOSED FOR

RECREATION TO ALLOW MORE SPACE.

IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PARTS OF

SLIGO CREEK PARKWAY IN SILVER

SPRING HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO GIVE

MORE PEOPLE SPACE OUTSIDE.

>> WE GENERALLY HAVE FOUND

PEOPLE ARE COMPLYING AND THEY

REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT

THEY HAVE A PLACE TO GO WHEN

THEY CAN’T GO TO THE GYM, THEY

CAN’T GO TO RESTAURANTS AND BARS

AND NEED A PLACE TO GET OUT OF

THE HOUSE.

>> Reporter: CASEY ANDERSON IS

CHAIR OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY

PLANNING BOARD AND TELLS NEWS 4

EVEN MORE PARTS OF SLIGO CREEK

PARKWAY AND OTHER ROADS IN THE

COUNTY WILL CLOSE FOR SIMILAR

REASONS.

>> WE EXPECT THAT WITHIN THE

NEXT WEEK OR SO WE’LL BE ABLE TO

ANNOUNCE A COUPLE MORE LOCATIONS

WHERE WE CAN CLOSE DOWN AT LEAST

FOR THE WEEKEND.

>> Reporter: NOW IN D.C., ALMOST

700 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A

PETITION ASKING MAYOR BOWSER TO

CLOSE MORE STREETS TO TRAFFIC

AND OPEN THEM FOR RECREATION.

THE LETTER SAYS SOCIAL

DISTANCING IS ONLY EFFECTIVE IF

PEOPLE HAVE THE SPACE TO DO SO.

THE MAYOR ISN’T SOLD, THOUGH.

>> I’M NOT CONVINCED BY THIS

OPEN-STREETS ARGUMENT.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I THINK IF

WE SHUT DOWN A STREET THEN YOU

WILL BE ASKING ME WHY ARE SO

MANY PEOPLE IN THE STREET?

SO I JUST GOT TO TELL YOU I’M

NOT CONVINCED BY THAT.

>> Reporter: IN VIRGINIA,

MEANTIME, TAKE A LOOK AT SKYLINE

DRIVE WHERE MILES HAVE BEEN

CLOSED FOR PEDESTRIANS AND

CYCLISTS.

NOW, WHETHER OR NOT ROADS CLOSE

DOWN, YOU’RE ASKED TO NOT BUNCH

UP WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE.

AND NOT TOUCH THE SAME THINGS

THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE