Construction is now underway on a long-anticipated project to transform a key stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. The initiative will ultimately add public gathering spaces by decking over part of the avenue and redesigning the corridor to better serve pedestrians and cyclists.

According to the D.C. Department of Transportation, staging and traffic maintenance began Monday as part of the early phases of the construction effort. Just north of the circle, cones and signage have been placed to alert drivers of the changes.

“Public space is such a premium, we would love to have more public space,” said Bill McLeod, executive director of the Dupont Circle Business Improvement District. “Why do we have an open pit in the neighborhood, when we should have some sort of plaza over the open air pit?”

The city plans to build a deck over the Connecticut Avenue underpass between Dupont Circle and Q Street NW, creating a plaza that will accommodate events and local markets. The redesigned corridor will include improved lighting, new traffic signals, pedestrian crosswalks, and upgraded safety infrastructure.

Calling the initiative “transformational,” McLeod added that the plaza would offer a “new, emerging space, with the opportunity to have chocolate festivals, art markets, the expanded farmer’s market.”

Funding for the project includes $8.4 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation and $29.4 million from D.C.’s transportation agency.

Local business owner Sandy Campbell, who co-owns a salon along Connecticut Avenue, sees the long-term value but acknowledges short-term difficulties. “Once it’s done, I think it’ll be great,” she said. “But it’s going to cause congestion in the area, construction probably keeps people away some. With everything else that’s going on in the D.C. market and the economy, and people losing their jobs, even though in the end it’s going to be good, it’s going to probably be a year and a half of some hard times.”

McLeod said construction will span approximately two years, but all roads will remain open throughout the project. Lanes may be narrowed, but two-way traffic will continue uninterrupted.

He envisions the completed plaza as a space for daytime café seating, evening festivals, and weekend markets. “It’s going to add vibrancy to the area that we’ve been missing,” McLeod noted.

More details about the project and its timeline are available through the D.C. Department of Transportation’s website.

Originally reported by Scott Gelman in WTOP News.