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First Street NE Construction Begins Next Week

Washington, D.C., May 8, 2013 – Reconstruction of First Street, NE, could start as soon as next week, and the project will dramatically impact transportation throughout the NoMa neighborhood. Traffic on First Street, NoMa’s main street, is expected to be one lane, one-way southbound for nearly a year – the entirety of the construction period. The District Department of Transportation and the NoMa BID recommend that NoMa residents, employees and visitors take other forms of transportation such as Metro, Bikeshare or buses.

 DDOT contractors will begin moving equipment into the area this week and next. DDOT is working with several firms, including engineering firm Amann-Whitney and the construction firm Lane Construction. The contractors and DDOT will have on-site offices located near the intersection of First and O Streets, NE.

 “First Street will be fabulous when the project is completed, and we are excited about the great new green spaces and cycling amenities that are included,” said NoMa BID President Robin-Eve Jasper. “However, we know that getting around the neighborhood will be a challenge during the construction period and we are asking everyone to be their most patient selves for a little while.”

 DDOT will soon offer a website that provides updates and a subscription to a listserv for daily notices. NoMa BID staff will promote this web site when it is available, and will also give regular project updates on our bimonthly newsletter (sign up at nomabid.wpengine.com) and on Facebook and Twitter.

 Project Scope: The project will rebuild the entirety of First Street, NE and its sidewalks from Columbus Circle to New York Avenue, including significant improvements to the side streets of K, L, Pierce, M, Patterson, and N Streets, NE. First Street between K Street and New York Avenue will be one-way southbound only during the entire period of construction. All northbound traffic will be detoured to North Capitol Street. After construction is finished, First Street will be returned to two-way traffic with an added two-way cycle track along the east side of the street and on-street parking along the west side.

 The reconstruction will upgrade underground infrastructure, add stormwater catch basins, install bio-retention stormwater swales, realign sidewalks, enlarge tree boxes, add new crosswalks, install new traffic lights and street lamps, and landscape the public space adjacent to unfinished parcels. Construction is anticipated to last nearly one year. For more information about this project, please contact Thomas Taylor, NoMa BID Director of Operations, at (202) 289-0111 [email protected], or Abdullahi Mohamed, DDOT Project Manager, at (202) 671-4614 or [email protected].

 About NoMa

NoMa is a vibrant, growing neighborhood north of Union Station and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. In the last seven years, private developers have invested more than $5 billion in the 35-block areas in the NoMa BID boundary, and have plans to develop more than 20 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, and retail space. NoMa is now home to 45,000 daytime workers, with 4.5 million SF leased in the last 4.5 years. More than 3,900 apartments have been recently completed or are under construction. NoMa has 13 modes of transportation, including two Red Line Metro stops, and the best biking facilities in D.C., with the only East Coast Bikestation, the 8-mile Metropolitan Branch Trail, and access to nine Capital Bikeshare stations. NoMa is the most connected neighborhood in Washington, D.C. The NoMa BID organizes more than 50 free community events each year to connect friends and neighbors. For more information about NoMa, visit nomabid.wpengine.com and sign up for our bimonthly newsletter. Follow us on Twitter @NoMaBID and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nomabid.

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For immediate release

News media contact:

Rachel Davis

202-997-3846

[email protected]

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