WASHINGTON — The District Department of Transportation says a portion of the Southeast Freeway has been successfully converted to a boulevard, and that the new road may open to traffic in a matter of weeks.
Joe Dorsey, a project manager with DDOT, says crews are putting the finishing touches on the road.
“It is getting very close. Hopefully before the end of the year, but if not, within the first week or two of January,” Dorsey says.
The eastern end of the old freeway was closed in January 2013. Since then, the sunken freeway has been raised and converted to an at-grade, four-lane boulevard.
Dorsey says that crews are finalizing the road, inspecting overhead lights, adding guardrails and smoothing out minor imperfections in the pavement.
“Right now we’re doing daily drive-throughs; we’re doing our safety inspections,” Dorsey says.
The freeway’s old stub ramps to RFK Stadium and Kentucky Avenue will remain closed. Eastbound drivers will be sent directly onto outbound Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Sousa Bridge.
Last Thursday, DDOT met with Ward 7 residents to discuss future plans to the boulevard with the nearby Barney Circle neighborhood. The presentation included proposals that addressed residential development within the road’s large median, bike lanes and connections to the Riverwalk Trail. All three conceptual designs called for filling the Barney Circle Tunnel and connecting the boulevard directly with the traffic circle above.
“Some of the constituents were a little concerned because they thought it would promote cut-through traffic. With regards to a lot of the residents of Ward 7, they were very happy when we announced when we’d be reopening the boulevard. We literally got a round of applause for that one.”
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