Construction is certainly a part of life, but when it closes sidewalks, it can make walking more difficult and dangerous. DC’s policies require keeping a safe passage for people walking and bicycling, but that doesn’t always happen.

Nearly an entire block of sidewalk is closed a block from Mt. Vernon Metro station, on the south side of L Street between 6th and 7th. With the sidewalk closed, the most direct walking route for many pedestrians is in the street. That’s avoidable.

Pedestrians walking in the street, after DDOT gave permission to completely close the sidewalk. All photos by the author.

The sidewalk is closed because Douglas Development is constructing a building that will add offices and new retail. But construction is still in its early stages, and it may last for another year. Meanwhile, two car travel lanes are open.

The purple line shows the closed sidewalk on L Street NW. The red lines show other nearby closures. Base map from Google Maps.

DDOT granted permission

DDOT’s online system shows that the construction site has the proper permits, and it appears that the construction company has the appropriate signage necessary to close the sidewalk. The current permit expires on August 9th, 2015. But does this sidewalk really need to be closed?

George Branyan, DDOT’s pedestrian program coordinator, said that when demolition is still going on at construction sites, closing nearby sidewalks is the preferred route.

“This closure should have relatively little impact on pedestrians accessing the Convention Center Metro station since it is located at 7th Street and M Street, a block north of this development,” he said. “Additionally, with the entire block face being developed and no pedestrian generators on the block, fewer pedestrians are attracted to the south side of the street.”

It’s amazing that while DDOT’s policy is for sidewalks to close only as a “means of last resort,” Branyan called this particular instance “preferred.” He didn’t discuss whether or not anyone at DDOT ever considered alternatives to closing the sidewalk. “Means of last resort” looks like a catch-all for any sidewalk closure in the city.

While there are places in the city where keeping sidewalks open would require difficult trade-offs, this site isn’t one of them. Its sidewalks are relatively wide, and its vehicle volumes low. The sidewalk here could easily and relatively inexpensively occupy the parking lane, with scaffolding protection like in other locations around the city. This is a case of a clear violation of DDOT’s policy for safe accommodations.

The cost of making that happen would be a drop in the bucket considering that this is a multimillion-dollar construction project. This area could be a lot safer and more convenient for people on foot, but DDOT staff and leadership are not making that a priority, and it’s not clear why.

There is plenty of space to accommodate people on foot.

DDOT can accommodate walking

The sidewalk at the site looks wide enough to accommodate walkers during construction. Within DDOT, there is the technical ability, creativity, and political will to keep sidewalks open; You can see it in action on nearby 5th Street.

Unfortunately, making excuses for closing sidewalks seems to be a higher priority than finding ways to keep sidewalks open. Doing so directly conflicts with DDOT’s policy of allowing sidewalk closures only as a “means of last resort.”

A priority shift toward keeping sidewalks open would make DC an even better place to walk and send a clear message that pedestrian safety is a priority here.

Is there a blocked sidewalk near you? Email the location and photos to allwalksdc@gmail.com or tweet them to @allwalksDC with the hashtag #dcwalkblock.

All Walks DC is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, advocating for people who walk in the District of Columbia. To get involved, email allwalksDC@gmail.com.

Jacob Mason thinks well planned cities can save the world. He volunteers as President of the Board of All Walks DC, a citywide walking advocacy organization. He also works as a researcher and urban planner for the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP). In his free time he gardens and plays squash and has been known to make a mean hummus.