A GOV BE58 FLC MAKES THEIR RUNUP IN AN EMPTY SECTION OF THE COMMUTER AIRLINE PARKING AREA TO AVOID DIRECTING THEIR PROP BLAST AT SOME DEPLANING PAX IN ANOTHER SECTION OF THE PARKING AREA. THE RPTR FEELS THAT THIS AREA IS THE ONLY REASONABLE PLACE FOR RUNUPS WHILE HOLDING FOR RWY 15.

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WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 15. AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE; WE NEEDED TO PERFORM AN ENG RUN- UP PRIOR TO DEP. IF WE HAD DONE SO AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE; OUR PROP BLAST WOULD HAVE ENDANGERED PERSONNEL OFF- LOADING FROM AN ACR SAAB TO A WAITING BUS PARKED IN THE COMMUTER PARKING AREA ABOUT 30 FT BEHIND US. TO AVOID THIS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SIT; WE MANEUVERED INTO THE FAR NW CORNER OF THE COMMUTER PARKING AREA SO THAT OUR PROP BLAST WOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARD A BLAST FENCE INSTALLED THERE. OUR ACFT WAS ABOUT 30 FT TO THE L OF THE COMMUTER AND ABEAM ITS MIDPOINT. AS WE BEGAN THE REQUIRED RUNUP; A COMMUTER PLT STANDING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRSTAIRS WAVED AT US; INDICATING THAT WE COULDN'T PARK THERE. WE COMPLETED THE RUNUP AND DEPARTED RWY 15 WITHOUT INCIDENT. A LOOK AT THE DCA ARPT DIAGRAM SHOWS THIS AREA AS DESIGNATED FOR COMMUTER PARKING. ITS DESIGNS INDICATE THAT IT WAS CREATED AS AN AREA TO PULL OVER SO AS NOT TO BLOCK THE TXWY IF YOU NEED TO DO AN ENG RUNUP OR HOLD OFF TO THE SIDE AWAITING IFR RELEASE; LIKE SIMILAR AREAS AT THE DEP ENDS OF RWYS 33; 36; AND 18. USING THIS AREA TO PARK COMMUTERS AND PERFORM LOADING AND UNLOADING OPS WITH PAX AND BAGGAGE OR CARGO IS INVITING INCIDENTS AND INJURY DUE TO ITS CLOSE PROX TO AND LOCATION AFT OF THE RWY 15 HOLD SHORT LINE. I RECOMMEND THAT COMMUTER PARKING BE RESTR TO THE OTHER DESIGNATED COMMUTER PARKING AREA S OF TXWY L ALONG TXWY K; AND THAT THE AREA WITH THE BLAST FENCE JUST OFF THE HOLD SHORT LINE TO RWY 15 BE USED FOR ITS ORIGINAL DESIGN PURPOSE -- TO HOLD AWAITING RELEASE OR TO PERFORM PREDEP CHKS WITHOUT BLOCKING ACCESS TO RWY 15.