Major Washington, D.C., traffic artery gets upgrade
WASHINGTON: After various complaints from D.C. residents and long term wear and tear, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is set to revamp a major transport route the the nation's capital.. Some of the changes will result in new sidewalks, streetlights, plants, trees, benches and public art,
New York Avenue in Northeast Washington is a major route, but its current state is no longer efficient and many D.C. residents have complained about its appearance.
At a public meeting April 25, representatives of DDOT laid out plans for the rehabilitation project. Engineers from Whitman Requardt & Associates were on hand to give a more thorough explanation for the designs
The New York Avenue project is expected to begin in September. The projected date of completion has not been released.
“The New York Avenue bridge is a significant challenge in segment one. A challenge with that is that the bridge is narrow and how would we make that a direct route for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclist,” Matt Werder, 34, an employee at Whitman Requardt & Associates said.
There were multiple posters around the room that were labeled, Segment 1-3. These represented design options and infrastructure options that the employees explained to the visitors.
Robert Vinson Brannum, D.C. resident and former Ward 5 ANC Commissioner always thought that changes should be made on New York Avenue.
“I support the development and changes being made to the New York Ave. corridor because it is a gateway and needs to be completely developed. There is vacant land over there and we need to increase the quality of life for the surrounding areas and the city as a whole,” Brannum said.
The majority of the people at the meeting were over the age of 40 and agreed with the proposed changes to New York Avenue.
Sidney Johson who has lived in D.C. since the 1960’s and thinks the renewal is long over due.
“I will be glad to see a lot of changes because for now it is the gateway into D.C. ,it deserves a lot of changes. The part of New York Ave. that is farther downtown is beautiful but this isn’t, especially if you're coming from another state visiting. The only change I don't like is the bike lines because the street is narrow, other areas of the city should be improved,” Johson said.