One of the city’s major diagonals, Rhode Island Avenue is a principal transportation route into and through the District of Columbia. The northeast portion of the corridor acts as a key entry point into the city, offers public transit services including Metrobus routes and the Rhode Island Avenue Metrorail Station, and serves both residential neighborhoods and commercial zones.
Livability Approach on Rhode Island Avenue NE
The overall intent of the Rhode Island Avenue NE Streetscape Master Plan was to create a pedestrian-friendly environment with amenities that include enhanced paving, site furnishings, lighting improvements, low impact development strategies, street trees and other “green” spaces. As a result of improving the pedestrian experience, key objectives of the master planning process—enhancing the livability, image, safety, sustainability and commercial viability of the project area—can be more readily achieved. In addition to a streetscape plan of the entire project corridor, the project identifies subareas and priority segments of the corridor, with a goal of breaking ground in these areas in early 2015.
After establishing a Community Advisory Committee comprising local residents and businesses, community leaders, the Friends of Rhode Island Avenue group and others, seven key goals and recommendations evolved. These were:
- Sidewalk pavement enhancements
- Site furnishings enhancement
- Low impact development
- Street tree management/street tree planting
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Planting opportunities/green medians
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Enhancement of focal areas
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Identification of public art opportunities
Final Report
The Final Report was completed May 2014. It is a comprehensive summary of the work done and conclusions reached during the study.
Project at a Glance
Project Title: Rhode Island Avenue NE Streetscape Master Plan
Providing Agency: District Department of Transportation
Status: Completed
Type: Education/Training
