WASHINGTON, DC — The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) reopened the pedestrian bridge over DC 295 this morning, restoring this important link between Anacostia High School and the Anacostia Pool/Fitness Center. The completion of the new bridge marks another milestone in the 11^th Street Bridge Project’s progress and DDOT’s efforts to minimize the project’s impact on residents.

With the bridge open, DDOT ended its temporary shuttle service transporting local children between the school and the pool/fitness center where they swim and participate in summer jobs and feeding programs.

“This is another exciting step toward completing the new 11th Street Bridges,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein. “We appreciate the community’s understanding during the work and are very proud to have successfully minimized its impacts, by providing shuttle service and partnering with other District agencies and the community to help keep children safe this summer.”

DDOT began weekday shuttle service June 22, the day after District schools closed for the summer, and soon after expanded the service to weeknights and weekends due to high usage. The shuttle made a complete loop between the high school and pool/fitness center every 30 minutes.

In addition, DDOT worked with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to increase patrols near I-295/DC 295 and also asked officers, pool/fitness center staff and the community at large to talk to children about the dangers of trying to cross the highway on-foot.

“This was a great collaboration between DDOT, the Department of Parks and Recreation, MPD and the contractors to make this a success while the bridge was closed this summer,” said Wallace Perry, DPR’s director of the Roving Leaders Outreach Program at the Anacostia Fitness Center. “It all has been a win-win for everyone – the children, their families and the community.”

Throughout the closure, DDOT also coordinated with the National Park Service. "We have been working closely with DDOT to improve safe access not only to the Anacostia Recreation Center but to Anacostia Park and I'm delighted that we were able to accomplish this milestone during this summer season for all communities and visitors to enjoy the park and all the recreational opportunities we have to offer!" said Alex Romero, Superintendent of National Capital Parks-East, a unit of the National Park Service.

The pedestrian bridge closed in January for demolition and reconstruction to allow for the widening of DC295/I-295 and the construction of connecting ramps for the new 11^th Street Bridges.

The $300-million project is DDOT’s largest and first design-build-to-budget bridges. Scheduled for completion in mid-2013, the project’s three new bridges—one for local and two for freeway traffic—will:

• Improve mobility by providing separate freeway and local traffic connections to both directions of DC 295, the Southeast-Southwest Freeway and local streets on both sides of the Anacostia River.
• Provide a shared path for pedestrians and bicycles, as well as rails to allow future streetcar connections
• Replace the existing functionally deficient and structurally obsolete bridges
• Provide an additional alternate evacuation route from our Nation’s Capital, and
• Include new trail connections, improved drainage and other environmental investments

The new bridges are being constructed between the existing bridges, allowing contractors to maintain all existing travel movements and 12-foot travel lanes except during approved work in off-peak travel hours.

DDOT has worked closely with local residents, civic associations and community groups throughout the detailed process during the planning, design, and construction of these bridges. Contractors practice good neighbor construction by establishing designated haul routes, having most materials delivered via the river or highway, controlling dust, and requiring that workers not park on neighborhood streets. In addition, noise and vibration levels are being monitored at all times.

For more information regarding the 11^th Street Bridge Project, please contact Public Information Manager Bryon Johnston at (202) 484-2330, ext. 137.

For information on employment, subcontracting or vendor opportunities, please contact Nyime Brown, Skanska-Facchina DBE/Community Outreach Coordinator, at (202) 484-2330, ext. 162. Skanska-Facchina accepts walk-in employment applications, every Friday from 1 to 3 pm at the 11^th Street Bridge Project Office located at 1301 M Street SE, Washington DC, 20003.