8th Street Barracks Row, a 3/4 mile, 6 block stretch between Pennsylvania Avenue and M Street SE, is one of the District's oldest commercial corridors. 8th Street's turn of the century buildings give the street charm and character, but over the years the commercial strip had experienced economic decline. Vacant storefronts and loitering added to the perception that 8th Street was an unsafe place to be and shop after dark. Merchants complained that there was inadequate public parking. And time had taken its toll on the public realm, which was left with cracked concrete sidewalks, inconsistent, roadway-focused street lighting, and weathered and unhealthy street trees.
A busy 8th Street, post-construction. Small American Elm trees are surrounded by ground-level plantings. Bluestone pavers accent the brick sidewalk.
8th Street Barracks Row, a 3/4 mile, 6 block stretch between Pennsylvania Avenue and M Street SE, is one of the District's oldest commercial corridors. 8th Street's turn of the century buildings give the street charm and character, but over the years the commercial strip had experienced economic decline. Vacant storefronts and loitering added to the perception that 8th Street was an unsafe place to be and shop after dark. Merchants complained that there was inadequate public parking. And time had taken its toll on the public realm, which was left with cracked concrete sidewalks, inconsistent, roadway-focused street lighting, and weathered and unhealthy street trees.
The Capitol Hill neighborhood began organizing for the revitalization of 8th Street years ago. In 1997, these activists formed a non-profit organization, and in 1999 began using materials and following the model provided by the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street program. In 2000, the group hired a full-time executive director, and in 2002 it applied for and won designation as an official DC Main Street. In 1999, this group approached officials at District Department of Transportation to inquire about resources that could be brought to bear on the corridor.
Stakeholder Involvement
In response to neighborhood concerns, DDOT launched a study of the street in 2000. To conduct this study and prepare a concept plan, the department contracted with a private transportation firm and a landscaping firm. Three public meetings were held, approximately two hundred people were surveyed, and additional working sessions were convened to discuss the study's ideas and findings and to gain consensus on the concept plans.
The main traffic issues that the study looked included the potential impact of the creation of angle parking on the street, to replace parallel on-street parking. This was eventually adopted, adding to the amount of parking available for short visits to merchants and retailers. The traffic study also examined the impact of converting a one-block portion in the southern-most portion of the roadway to two-way operations from one-way. This was also eventually adopted, in order to promote greater access to the stores and more convenient traffic operations.
Coordination continued during the construction phase of the project. Throughout the project, Bill McLeod, the Executive Director of Barracks Row Main Street, and his assistant, Phyllis Barnes, provided an important link between the construction team and the 8th Street merchants. They reliably relayed merchant concerns to the construction team, facilitated communications about construction timing to the businesses, and were diligent problem solvers. McLeod estimates that he spent 40 to 50 percent of his time during construction on construction-related matters.
Also importantly, BRMS hosted on-site, bi-weekly meetings for the construction team, which consisted of representatives from many agencies and companies. DDOT had contracted with the FHWA to provide the day-to-day management of the construction project, with DDOT retaining oversight responsibilities. FHWA, in turn, had hired the Lane Construction Company to be the main construction contractor. From about the second month of the project, every other Thursday management from Lane, FHWA, Barracks Row Main Street, and DDOT convened to hear a status report, discuss problems, and determine next steps.
Public outreach was extensive. Every other month, "construction coffee updates" were held during the mid-morning at a local coffee house. McLeod and DDOT also gave presentations at the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC), the District's basic local governance body, every other month. McLeod and volunteers also wrote occasional articles for local papers (Voice of the Hill and Hill Rag) and included information about the project in the quarterly publication of the Barracks Row Bulletin.
Finally, about half-way through the project, several "Welcome to Barracks Row" signs were posted along the corridor, with attractive renderings of what the completed corridor would look like.
Alternatives Development
Formal alternatives were not developed during the study/planning phase of this project, although a range of options for street treatments (brick pattern, lighting standard, etc.) were examined. In addition, as discussed above, various traffic improvements were examined and some were adopted.
Final Product
The public realm on 8th Street / Barracks Row was completely reconstructed.
The cracked and patched concrete sidewalks were replaced with brick sidewalks in a herringbone pattern
Bluestone pavers were added as accents along sidewalks
All new granite curb and brick gutters were installed
New signals were installed
Installation of inverted-U shaped bicycle racks
Globe style lamps were installed in place of the higher, vehicle-oriented cobra-head lamps
Water-permeable planting strips that connect the tree boxes (in order to provide a more hospitable growing environment for the trees) were installed
92 new American Elm trees were planted, and were donated by a local green organization
Loriope was planted in tree boxes as edging
A public park was replanted and enhanced
Angle parking replaced the parallel alignment on the east side of the street
A one-block one-way segment was converted to two-way operations
These changes were made to help revitalize the commercial area, one of the oldest in the District of Columbia. Pedestrians now have a safer and more welcoming environment in which to walk around.
Since the conclusion of the construction project, at least 15 new businesses have opened on 8th Street, with more on the way.
A busy 8th Street, post-construction. Small American Elm trees are surrounded by ground-level plantings. Bluestone pavers accent the brick sidewalk.
8th Street's stamped concrete crosswalks in a cobblestone pattern complement the bluestone pavers.
8th Street, facing south from G. Brick sidewalks complements the historic building facades, and merchants can sell their wares outside.
Cracked concrete sidewalks on 8th Street, facing north towards E Street. New Washington Globe lights have been installed.
