Adams Morgan business leaders are looking to a tale of woe from Dupont Circle to make sure history isn’t repeated when the city begins a $9 million streetscape project this month. The city’s department of transportation is scheduled to start rehabbing a one-mile stretch of 18th Street between Florida Avenue and Colombia Road on Feb. 22, a project that will widen sidewalks, reconfigure the roadway and repair and replace tree boxes and streetlights along the busy commercial corridor. While the project’s intent is to make the area safer for pedestrians and customers, businesses have worried about another “P Street debacle,” referring to a 18-month streetscaping project in Dupont Circle that was so disruptive some restaurants said they lost as much as 60 percent of their business in 2007 and 2008.
But not this time — community representatives have been working to negotiate a contract that will ensure the least disruption to the approximately 150 businesses in the project area.
“I think we’ve all learned a lot since then,” said Kristen Barden, executive director of Adams Morgan Business Improvement District. “We’ve done a lot of stuff ahead of time to make sure the businesses all know what’s going to happen.”
So while that doesn’t mean the power won’t ever be shut off or sidewalk entrances blocked, businesses will receive advance warning and time restrictions have been placed on those inconveniences. In addition, signs advertising establishments will be put up on construction barriers.
The District Department of Transportation is phasing the project so a sidewalk block and its adjacent street lanes are not blocked at the same time and two-way traffic will be maintained on 18th Street.
“We can’t fix everything and make it completely painless but we can make it less painless,” said DDOT spokesman John Lisle.
Business owners said they are encouraged by the work but the proof is in the pudding.
“Any time they do construction on a street … all the businesses are concerned,” said Daisy Lacy, co-owner of Smash Records.
A public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the 3rd District police station, 1620 V St. NW.
