D.C. transportation officials are asking Adams Morgan residents, workers and weekend regulars to help decide the future of 18th Street between Kalorama Avenue and Columbia Road. Planned restriping and sidewalk work would shuffle lane layouts, tweak curbside parking and lock in one of two final design options for the corridor. City leaders say the changes are meant to improve safety for people walking, biking and driving, and the public comment window stays open through June 26, 2026.
At a May 27 virtual meeting, the District Department of Transportation walked through two final concepts for 18th Street as it moves to return the strip to standard curbside operations. One option would add a hardscaped center median, while the other would introduce painted bike lanes and revised curbside uses. According to DDOT, the corridor carries roughly 9,500 vehicles a day, averages about 309 bicycle trips daily and sees heavy pedestrian volumes that shaped the agency’s safety analysis.
Design documents include one set of drawings that keep a four-lane configuration with two parking lanes and another that would build a raised or hardscaped median. The agency expects to post a Notice of Intent in early July and has penciled in construction for August 2026 if the plan moves forward, according to WJLA.
How to weigh in
DDOT is collecting public feedback through an online questionnaire hosted on ArcGIS, and responses will help shape the Notice of Intent and the final restriping plan. The 18th Street survey is available on ArcGIS, and the comment window closes on June 26, 2026.
Why it matters to neighbors and businesses
18th Street is Adams Morgan’s main dining and nightlife spine, so any shift in curbspace or lane geometry can ripple through loading zones, parking and outdoor dining setups that many businesses leaned on during the pandemic. The city’s 2024 push to formalize streateries and outdoor dining turned curb rules into a hot neighborhood issue, as noted by Axios, which helps explain why residents and merchants are watching DDOT’s latest plan so closely.
Construction and timeline
WJLA reports that DDOT will post the Notice of Intent in early July and begin construction in August 2026 if the plan is approved. The agency’s slide deck also details curbside updates, including short term loading, revised two hour parking and designated motorcycle spaces that will accompany whichever lane configuration the city selects, according to DDOT.
For now, the choice for neighbors comes down to whether they prefer a center median that narrows travel lanes and creates a pedestrian buffer, or a bike-focused restriping that keeps more varied curb uses. Review the meeting packet and complete the survey before June 26, 2026 to make sure your feedback is part of the agency’s decision process.
