Prepare for a slew of delays, DC drivers. The District Department of Transportation has an array of traffic advisories for the week leading into Christmas. According to the DDOT release, a variety of road and sidewalk repairs are slated for the week of December 22, affecting numerous areas across the city. Projects will impact Benning Road due to bridge and transportation improvements, including multiple sidewalk repairs along Independence Avenue, and result in temporary closures for pedestrian and bicycle paths on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge starting December 11.
During weekdays, anticipate sidewalk, road, and lane closures related to DC PLUG feeder projects, from locations 14702/118 to the feeder 14093. Running until signage reads otherwise, for their sidewalks to be repaired, residents along Independence Avenue SE and SW should be ready. Starting December 15, construction will also affect traffic on New York Avenue NW, with repairs lasting into the new year.
Ongoing projects will continue to disrupt commutes for those travelling near Connecticut Avenue NW, where deckover work will move forward, requiring closures of service lanes from Q Street to Dupont Circle. Moreover, traffic pattern changes around Maine Avenue SW, instituted since August, will remain in place, and the Streetscape Project on Pennsylvania Avenue West that began in July will also persist.
The heavily frequented Theodore Roosevelt Bridge will face reductions to a mere three lanes—an adjustment motorists have been wrestling with since mid-July. Introduced to improve the crossing's traffic operations since May, drivers finding their way over the bridge have encountered a changed landscape. As for public transportation, DDOT notes a delayed opening for the DC Streetcar service due to necessary signal work on H Street.
While some of these interruptions may conclude soon, others offer a longer-term challenge to the regular rhythms of transit and traverse in our city. Officials urge commuters to stay informed about traffic updates and to plan their travel routes, considering the potential for delays during this busy holiday season.
