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

Construction is scheduled to begin on Monday, November 10, 2008 on the Park Road portion of the Columbia Heights Streetscape Project. Crews will begin working on Park Road, NW, between Mount Pleasant Street and 14th Street, weather permitting. At any given time during construction, work will only be allowed within two blocks to maintain safety and access for local residents, businesses and the traveling public.

Preliminary work on the highly anticipated project began this summer with installation of pavers and other minor improvements to the public plaza. This initial portion of the overall project, which will last about six months, includes a public plaza and interactive fountain to be built at the Triangle Park, located at the intersection of 14th Street and Park Road. Work on the park is expected to be completed next summer.

Phase II of the streetscape project provides for the reconstruction of 14th Street, NW – a major artery in Columbia Heights – from Newton Street to Columbia Road, and Irving Street, NW between 14th and 16th Streets. Phase II is scheduled to begin in August, 2009 and will take up to 233 days to complete.

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

The Department of Transportation (DDOT) has scheduled a public meeting to update the community about the Streetscape Project on Thursday, November 20, 2008. The meeting will take place from 7 pm to 8:30 pm at Tubman Elementary School, 2301 13th Street, NW. English and Spanish-speaking staff will be on hand to brief residents and answer questions at the meeting.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its projects, programs, and services on the basis of race, color, national origin, or gender, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or on the basis of disability as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you need special accommodations or language assistance services (translation or interpretation) please contact Hadiah Jordan at (202) 610-0005 or by email at hadiah@jsallc.com seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. These services will be provided free of charge.