The Office of Planning and the District Department of Transportation, in coordination with the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC), completed an urban design and transportation study of North Capitol Street from Michigan Avenue to Hawaii Avenue, NE, and Irving Street/Michigan Avenue from First Street NW to their point of union, approximately one block east of North Capitol Street.

“This study is a useful tool in helping to identify the possible ways to reconfigure the North Capitol Street cloverleaf into a more efficient and productive multi-modal hub,” said Harriet Tregoning, Director of the DC Office of Planning. “The current highway infrastructure was designed for cars but not for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders who need better cross town connections and greater access to open space.”

The purpose of the study was to:

• Develop strategies to improve the gateway qualities of North Capitol Street by including accessible open spaces, civic spaces, memorials and enhancing the public streetscapes along its path beginning at Hawaii Avenue and extending south to Michigan Avenue. This effort will consider opportunities to create great placemaking and improve streetscapes to foster a unified public identity extending along the corridor.
• Explore alternative intersection configurations for the cloverleaf at Irving and North Capitol Streets and automobile ramps at Michigan and Irving to create a more urban, pedestrian-oriented and transit supportive environment.
• Develop recommendations for improving transportation choices and operations, safety and connectivity within the public realm along North Capitol Street between Michigan Avenue and Hawaii Avenue, and Michigan Avenue and Irving Streets. Mitigate barrier created by North Capitol Street between the Brookland community to the east and the planned development at the Armed Forces Retirement Home to the west and restore a more urban, pedestrian-scale identity to the current highway-dominated character of Irving Street. Improve vehicular/pedestrian/bicycle/transit connectivity across the corridor.

• Cover, Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Introduction*
• Part 1: Executive Summary*
• Part 2: Public Process*
• Part 3: Existing Conditions and Opportunities Analysis*
• Part 4: The North Capitol Gateway Corridor Improvement Strategies, pages 27-49*
• Part 4: The North Capitol Gateway Corridor Improvement Strategies, pages 50-62*
• Part 5: Transportation and Connectivity Improvements*

For background information and details of public meetings, select from the links below.

• North Capitol Street Cloverleaf Feasibility Study Statement of Work*
• North Capitol Street Cloverleaf Feasibility Study flyer*
• Public Meetings

For information on this initiative, contact Howard Ways at Howard.Ways@dc.gov or by phone at (202) 442-7600.