Contact (Media Only): Erik Linden (202) 671-2004

(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) this week will begin work on a portion of the final paving for the rehabilitation of Thomas Circle in Northwest.

The paving will include roads off the circle including Highland Terrace, M Street, and Massachusetts Avenue on the west side of Thomas Circle, as well as Vermont Avenue and M Street on the east side of Thomas Circle. Parking restrictions and brief street closures will occur while this work takes place.

The work will take place during the daytime hours from 8 am to 5 pm on Wednesday, June 7, and Thursday, June 8, 2006. The paving is weather permitting. The completion of the Thomas Circle rehabilitation project is scheduled for July 2006.

Work on Thomas Circle is a joint effort by DDOT, the National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The final design includes directing all vehicular traffic to the perimeter of the circle, thereby eliminating cut-through lanes. The consolidation allows for a larger and more functional landscaped area.

Continuing with DDOT’s desire to incorporate multi-modal transportation with smart growth features in future transportation designs, the new configuration of Thomas Circle will include bicycle lanes and, for the first time, pedestrian access to the center of the circle and to the statue of Civil War General George Thomas.