Infrastructure & Green Space
Ward 2 has seen tremendous growth over the past several years. With the help of residents, we turned a vacant lot on 10th Street in Logan Circle, full of trash and illegal activity, into a vibrant green space for the entire neighborhood. I worked to secure $3 million in federal funding for the renovation of the Georgetown Waterfront Park. Connecticut Avenue in Dupont Circle, the gateway to one of the District’s greatest neighborhoods, will soon see a restored and beautified median thanks to funding I identified through the District Department of Transportation. When it looked like Ward 2 might lose the important services offered at the Jelleff Recreation Center, I intervened with then-Chairman Gray to acquire the property on behalf of the District and ensure no interruption in programming and services. I have also worked with an active and engaged citizenry to create some of the city’s most popular dog parks in Shaw and Dupont Circle.
I have secured vital infrastructure investments in our neighborhoods with new libraries in Shaw, Georgetown, and Foggy Bottom and new parks and green spaces across the Ward. Several of our main commercial corridors, including 17th and 18th streets, have seen total streetscape renovations, making them more inviting for pedestrians and attractive for our large number of small businesses. After many years of study, historic O and P streets in Georgetown are being reconstructed with the preservation of the old trolley tracks. Supporting and funding our Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Main Streets organizations is important in making sure our business areas and Downtown remain safe and clean for residents and tourists alike.
The ability to move through Ward 2 in a variety of ways is important. I have long championed the Circulator bus service as an excellent across-town option. I have also worked hard to bring bike sharing and bike lanes to the Ward, as well as to ensure that pedestrians have safe and easy access to our neighborhoods and commercial corridors. Ward 2 is home to the very first contra-flow bike lane in the District on 15th Street and I will continue to work to bring a strong bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to every corner of the Ward.