Jefferson Memorial next to get security wall

An NCPC staff report on a security perimeter at the Jefferson Memorial contains a fascinating before and after photo set of the area:

For the security perimeter itself, NPS is considering three options: A fence right along the roadway, which is the NCPC staff’s and CFA’s preferred choice, a meandering wall along the middle of the Memorial grounds, and a formal circular wall making another concentric ring outside the memorial. The street option has the least visual intrusion, since it’s along an existing street, and avoids cutting up the landscaped space. Unfortunately, it also requires removing the most trees. (I’m sure security experts can explain why a barrier has to involve cutting down trees, instead of just running alongside or incorporating the already-strong trees into the barrier.) All options would incorporate some benches into the wall, including around the tour bus loading area and new handicapped parking along the roadway to the west of the entrance. A food kiosk would also be reloacted to that area. NCPC staff suggests incorporating some of the more informal seating designs of the meandering wall or circular wall into the street fence option. The National Coalition to Save Our Mall also submitted comments asking NPS to add some short-term parking at the Jefferson Memorial. It’s hard to get there except by bike or long walk, and the Coalition says, “We have heard from many people over the past 7 years that they no longer visit the memorial because access is so limited to this remote location which lacks any public transportation. The only parking on Ohio Drive is a considerable walk.” The most important solution to this problem is for NPS to allow Circulator buses to run on the Mall and connect memorials cheaply and conveniently. The Circulator could also stop at the existing parking lots.