Media Contact:  John Lisle at (202) 671-2004

(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is close to completing the initial phase of the Columbia Heights streetscape project. The work on Park Road, between Mount Pleasant and 14th Streets, is scheduled to be completed by the end of July, weather permitting. DDOT will then move forward with improvements on 14th Street, NW, including new storm drain inlets, sidewalks, granite curbs and streetlights. This work will be done concurrently with the construction that is ongoing in the Civic Plaza, located at the intersection of Kenyon Street, 14th Street and Park Road, NW.

To facilitate this work safely, the right travel lane and curb parking lane on northbound 14th Street, from Columbia Road to Park Road, will be closed beginning on Monday, July 27, 2009. One lane of traffic will be maintained in both directions at all times during the construction.

However, there will be a loss of some parking spaces in the 3000 block of 14th Street on both sides of the roadway because of the new temporary lane configuration. Motorists are encouraged to use the DCUSA parking facility – there are entrances to the garage on Park Road and Hiatt Place – or take mass transit. Columbia Heights is served by Metrorail’s Green and Yellow lines, as well as Metrobus and the DC Circulator.

Please note, there will be some bus stop and route changes for the safety of passengers:

• The pick-up of H8 passengers will be relocated from 14th Street to the Irving Street bus stop near the Metro Station entrance.
• Instead of turning northbound on 14th Street, the H8 bus will continue east on Irving Street.
• All passengers using the bus stop on 14th Street, north of Irving Street, will use a temporary stop just south of Irving near the CVS and Bank of America.

The businesses in Columbia Heights will remain open during the construction and every effort will be made to maintain access to the sidewalks. There may be some temporary sidewalk closures and detours will be posted for pedestrians. Variable message boards will also be used to alert drivers to the traffic pattern changes.

More extensive road reconstruction work on 14th Street, from Newton Street to Columbia Road, is scheduled to begin in November. DDOT will also be reconstructing Irving Street, between 14th and 16th Streets, and the entire project is expected to be completed in late spring, 2010.

Overall, the improvements to the Columbia Heights area include total roadway reconstruction, waterline and drainage upgrades, new sidewalks, landscaping, street lighting, intersection and signal improvements, enhancements to traffic operations, pedestrian amenities and safety improvements.

For more information about the project, residents can visit the project website at www.columbiaheights-streetscape.com or the field office at 3247 Mt. Pleasant Street, NW, Monday through Friday, between 8 am and 4 pm.