Contact (Media Only): Erik Linden (202) 671-2004
(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) advises motorists, residents and visitors of a change to the traffic pattern related to the ongoing work at Canal Road near the Georgetown University entrance in Northwest this weekend.
This weekend only, one outbound lane of Canal Road (from Whitehurst Freeway to Foxhall Road) will be open to traffic—beginning at 7 pm on Friday though 6 am Monday morning.
One outbound lane of Canal Road will be closed through the weekend to place a new concrete road base. Normal concrete must be allowed to cure up to 28 days without traffic, but DDOT is using a rapid-setting concrete that can be opened to traffic in less than 48 hours.
Project Background: Work began the week of January 2, 2007 with a scheduled completion in August 2007, weather permitting. The $4 million project uses a combination of federal and local funds.
Work will include widening Canal Road between the Georgetown University entrance and the Whitehurst Freeway. The project will create a functional intersection at the university entrance—with a dedicated left turn lane for inbound Canal Road traffic heading into the university.
The goal of the work is to increase traffic flow by also creating an additional lane for inbound traffic onto M Street at the Whitehurst Freeway intersection.
Work will also include the replacement all of the streetlights in the median with new decorative “teardrop” lights; and sidewalk repair on the north side of Canal Road. This will entail occasional closures of this sidewalk.
Work hours will be from 7 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in both directions from 6 am to 10:15 am and 3 pm to 7 pm (morning and evening rush hours). Occasional weekend work is also possible.
Motorists are reminded to use caution when traveling through the work zone.