Washington, D. C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation announced Thursday their plans to improve pedestrian accessibility across DC 295 in Ward 7 by installing three bridges.
The bridges would replace the Lane Place Bridge, the Parkside Bridge, and the Douglass Street Bridge and improve connectivity and pedestrian access for residents in Mayfair, Parkside, Eastland Gardens, and the surrounding communities.
“We are committed to working with the community and making the necessary investments to increase connectivity, improve safety, and build a multi-modal transportation network that works better for the residents of Ward 7,” Bowser said. “These three bridges, to be built over the next three years, are a critical component of this work and part of our overall effort to build a more connected DC.”
The project will run over the course of the next three years.
An emergency declaration, signed by Bowser, would provide $1.5 million in contingency funds to expedite the design work necessary for DDOT to replace the Lane Place Bridge. Bowser said an investment of $250,000 into the Parkside Pedestrian Bridge would expedite construction for the project that started in April 2020 and is anticipated to be complete by September 2021, two months ahead of schedule. The Douglas Street NE Pedestrian Bridge is expected to be replaced over the next two years, with the DDOT working with the Office of Contracting and Procurement to award the construction contract. Construction is expected to begin later this year and be completed in Winter 2022.
“Mayor Bowser’s continued investment in the District’s infrastructure ensures that communities across all eight wards can safely traverse the city and connect to mass transit and other neighborhoods,” Acting DDOT Director Everett Lott said. “We are committed to working with the community throughout the design and construction process for each of these bridges.”