Sherman Ave. streetscape starts next week

The DC Department of Transportation announced today that construction on the Sherman Avenue streetscape project is set to begin next week with water-utility work. DDOT states that the project will:

-- Make Sherman Avenue feel more residential rather than a commuter route by reducing vehicular lanes to one in each direction.

-- Improve pedestrian safety by widening the sidewalks to make them ADA compliant, and upgrading the wheelchair ramps and crosswalk markings.

-- Make Sherman Avenue more attractive by planting trees and shrubs along the corridor, upgrading street lights and upgrading traffic signals.

These changes won't happen overnight, though. For the next two years Sherman Ave. traffic may closely resemble that around 14th street in Columbia Heights, but all for the better. You can follow the streetscape progress online here -- http://dashboard.ddot.dc.gov/ward1/ShermanAveNWStreetscapeConstruction/default.aspx.