DDOT releases Grant Circle safety changes with final NOI — share your input by June 12th
/(courtesy DDOT)
by Jonah Goodman
guest contributor
The DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) recently released their final Notice of Intent (NOI) outlining the safety design changes they want to install around Grant Circle. DDOT is accepting community comments until June 12, 2025. If their timelines hold this project should begin later this summer. (See DDOT’s Grant Circle Design website.)
These improvements are the results of years of issues. Drivers crashing into the park space in the circle. Pedestrians struck by cars… cyclists struck by hit and run drivers. A mother and daughter hit by a driver who fled the scene. DDOT even took the rare step and advocated for the most recent safety changes, sharing data that crashes were significantly higher in Grant Circle than any surrounding streets.
Some of the changes coming to Grant Circle include:
Shorter crosswalk distances for pedestrians
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) for improved visibility at crosswalks
Improved ADA features
Modifications to roadway operations / signal removal
Improved drainage and enhanced lighting within Grant Circle
Protected bike lanes
Updated pavement marking and signs to reflect the current uses
All-Way-Stop-Control at Illinois Avenue and Upshur Street NW
Raised crosswalk on 5th Street NW south of the Circle
Traffic diverter at 5th Street NW and Upshur Street NW
A look at the new concrete islands, pedestrian walkways and bike lanes around Grant Circle (courtesy DDOT NOI)
On the north side of the Circle: 5th Street between the Circle and Webster Street will be one way northbound for one block. This will alleviate conflicts with vehicles trying to enter Grant Circle closely to traffic coming southbound from New Hampshire. This may also help reduce vehicles trying to cut through the neighborhood to bypass New Hampshire when traveling south.
Illinois south of the Circle: Illinois will be opened up to two-way traffic in and out of the Circle, with street parking retained. The bike lane currently present on the 4200 block will be removed and be replaced with sharrows in both directions. There will also be an all-way stop at Upshur and Illinois. This will help reduce conflict for vehicles traveling southbound on Illinois. The 4200 block of Illinois was previously two-way traffic and there were numerous crashes at Illinois and Upshur. This all-way stop should help prevent that from occurring again, and alleviate some of the challenges that neighbors who live near this intersection have reported throughout the series of meetings. Further south, Illinois will get speed tables on the 4000 and 4100 block (between Shepherd and Upshur) to help reduce speeds for vehicles traveling south off of the Circle.
Some of the biggest changes updates are happening around 5th and Upshur: Previously DDOT proposed closing 5th St between Grant Circle and Upshur. Neighbors on New Hampshire who back onto 5th St shared concerns about trash collection that happens on the 5th St side and neighbors who use this bike lane had concerns about concepts to reroute this lane. In the final design, DDOT plans to keep 5th St open to one-way southbound traffic, but will be discouraging drivers using it for through traffic. DDOT will install a raised crosswalk across 5th St at the intersection with the Circle, which they intend will slow traffic exiting the Circle. Then at 5th and Upshur they will install concrete diverters that will have southbound vehicular traffic turn right onto westbound Upshur instead of being able to continue southbound. Vehicles exiting the Circle on 5th St will also not be able to turn left on eastbound Upshur St. The protected bike lane will continue south. DDOT will be removing the stop light here and replacing it with an all-way (i.e., 3-way) stop.
On the northbound New Hampshire approach DDOT will remove the merge in the 4200 block of New Hampshire. The right hand lane on the 4100 block will now be a right turn only onto eastbound Upshur St. DDOT will install a protected bike lane in the 4200 block by moving the parking lane out from the curb. This also serves as a design change to remove the merge lane and prevent drivers who currently incorrectly and dangerously use the painted no parking / no access lane to enter Grant Circle. Neighbors here shared that drivers will frequently pass those who are waiting to safely merge on the curbside because there are no barriers to prevent this behavior. Across the street on this block, near the corner where vehicles exit the Circle heading south on New Hampshire Ave, DDOT will install barriers that prevent cars from cutting the corner when exiting the Circle and preventing the unsafe parking practices that several neighbors commented on, with vehicles often parked in the crosswalk and blocking visibility to pedestrians and other traffic during the morning and evening commutes.
There are also a few parts of the project that haven’t changed but are worth reminding neighbors about:
In partnership with WMATA, DDOT has decided to remove the two 64 bus stops within the Circle due to the close proximity of the stops at Upshur and Webster Streets. They will install signage on the existing bus stop posts notifying passengers where the next nearest stops are.
Despite significant dangers safety fixes have taken years to move forward:
2009: DDOT proposed reducing Grant Circle to one lane to “reduce crossing distances and perceived lane widths”. That work was shelved due to Mayoral changes.
2016: DDOT released their Rock Creek East II Livability report (p. 95) calling for the reduction of lanes in Grant Circle to increase safety. (Petworth News article)
2017: DDOT closed one lane of traffic in Grant Circle for one week. Ultimately, while DDOT noted likely increased safety for all road users, it scrapped the plan because data showed it could add 40-80 seconds of extra travel time and they worried about the backlash from drivers.
2017: DDOT made some small changes to the Circle, adding the current bike lane, reducing the southside New Hampshire entrance to Grant Circle to one lane, and narrowed the traffic lanes.
2021: ANC 4C brings DDOT Director Everett Lott and staff to Grant Circle to observe ongoing dangerous driving behaviors and request safety fixes.
2023: DDOT begins initial work that will lead to the Notice of Intent and current design plans. ANC 4C calls on DDOT to “significantly improve safety for all users of Grant Circle” and asking them to “implement robust road design changes and traffic calming measures to Grant Circle with the goal of slowing traffic and improving safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.”
2024: DDOT holds numerous public community meetings and comment periods and at least one private meeting with Director Sharon Kershbaum and select neighbors.
2025: DDOT releases the Notice of Intent to begin work.
Several entities organized and advocated strongly for the safety fixes. First, ANC 4C repeatedly took courageous votes calling on DDOT to move forward on safety fixes while facing pressure from a small handful of neighbors who wanted to block any changes. Second, Councilmember Janeese Lewis George came out strongly in favor of the safety changes following ANC 4C’s lead. This gave DDOT some political support to explore big changes. Finally, neighbors organized. Petworth for Safer Streets, a volunteer group I lead, filled meetings with neighbors supporting the project, coordinated with local parents groups, and sent 164 letters to DDOT in support of their proposed changes.
But these changes are not finalized and some people are still protesting the safety improvements.
Last week, numerous neighbors reported that Nick DelleDonne, a resident of Dupont Circle, was allegedly seen going door-to-door with a small group asking neighbors to submit written comments opposing the proposals. Nick Delle Donne has been known for public outbursts and opposition to traffic safety proposals in DC. Although he doesn’t live in Ward 4 he has been invited by some neighbors to the previous Grant Circle meetings where he routinely would yell at speakers and used public comment periods to criticize DDOT.
We want to make sure that people from outside of Petworth aren’t blocking long overdue safety changes in our neighborhood.
If you support the safety changes proposed for Grant Circle or not, consider sending DDOT a quick email by June 12, 2025. You can find details about the project on DDOT’s NOI page.
If you want to advocate for safer streets for all neighbors, consider joining Petworth for Safer Streets. The local groups works to support changes like bus priority lanes, traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements all around Petworth.
