If you’re in Adams Morgan this week, you may notice the District Department of Transportation working to remove the streatery platforms and barriers that were first erected by the city a little over a year ago as part of a pilot program. 

I had serious concerns about the negative impact their removal would have on businesses, residents, and community vitality. The space occupied by the streateries is public property and could be used for many purposes. I did not want to allow them simply to revert to what was there before. Many constituents shared the same concerns with me over the past week. 

I shared those concerns with DDOT director Sharon Kershbaum. She and her team committed to maintaining a curbside area of about 10 feet, to be used for sidewalk extensions, parklets, bike/scooter parking – and for new streateries, should businesses choose to pursue them. This space will be located next to a re-established parking lane, which will be used to address needs for commercial loading and short-term parking. 

This modification will also include improvements to pedestrian crossings and will retain the new Capital Bikeshare station. And it avoids going back to the wide painted median in the middle of 18th Street – this was both a waste of public space and made for dangerous pedestrian crossings. 

One more thing happened this week: the Council passed an amendment I introduced that will bring additional DDOT resources and planning for additional pedestrian space in this corridor, via the PLAZA Act. This is an appropriate follow-on to the streatery pilot, and will help advance a long-standing community desire for more regular road closures like the 18th Street Pedestrian Zone. 

I’m grateful to Director Kershbaum for working with us to maintain our momentum on 18th Street, leaving open opportunities for activating public space for all residents and visitors.