D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) recently announced plans to improve pedestrian accessibility across DC-295 in Ward 7, including replacing the recently collapsed Lane Place pedestrian bridge.
In the next three years, DDOT says it will build three bridges—the replacement for the Lane Place Bridge, the Parkside Bridge, and the Douglass Street Bridge—to improve connectivity and pedestrian access for residents in Mayfair, Parkside, Eastland Gardens, and the surrounding communities of Deanwood and Minnesota Avenue.
“We are committed to working with the community and making the necessary investments to increase connectivity, improve safety, and build a multimodal transportation network that works better for the residents of Ward 7,” Mayor Bowser said in a statement. “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 D.C.”
On June 23, 2021, the Lane Place pedestrian bridge collapsed onto live traffic over DC-295. The bridge was considered to be in poor condition, and the collapse led to five people being hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to reports.
Work over the next three years will include the following:
- Mayor Bowser has signed an emergency declaration and will provide $1.5 million in contingency funds to expedite the design work necessary for DDOT to replace the Lane Place Bridge. DDOT says these are the necessary first steps to apply for federal emergency funds to support the bridge replacement. The new bridge will comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for ramp length, height, and span as well as current federal height requirements.
- The Parkside Pedestrian Bridge, which DDOT began building in April 2020, will more directly and safely connect the Mayfair neighborhood and Parkside development with the Minnesota Avenue Metrorail and Bus Transfer Stations, as well as the Deanwood community to the east. The District is investing $250,000 to expedite the construction and open the bridge in September 2021, two months ahead of schedule.
- The Douglas Street NE Pedestrian Bridge is in queue to be replaced over the next two years. DDOT is working with the Office of Contracting and Procurement to award the construction management 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 in a statement. “We are committed to working with the community throughout the design and construction process for each of these bridges.”
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SOURCE: District Department of Transportation
