A plan to begin construction on a new streetscape project along the 14th Street corridor has been delayed until next spring, according to District officials.

The District Department of Transportation originally planned to break ground this coming December on a new streetscape project that would span 14th Street NW from Thomas Circle to Florida Avenue. As planned, the project includes new “bulb-outs” that would let buses pick up passengers without pulling out of traffic, “cut-through” bike lanes, new crosswalks, street lights, bike racks and benches, among other improvements.

The purpose of the streetscape project is to increase multi-modal and pedestrian safety, comply with ADA standards and add new character to the corridor, according to DDOT. But crews won’t break ground on those new improvements and safety features until at least next spring, said DDOT project manager Rick Kenney today.

“We are presently delayed in receiving DC Water’s final plans, which has pushed our tentative start date to late spring of 2017,” Kenney said.

DC Water, which plans to switch service over to a new water main and install some new valves as part of the project, will finish its reviews and approve the final designs this week, according to agency spokesman John Lisle.

Once the work begins, DDOT estimates it will take about a year to complete.

A proposed project from the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) could change the way pedestrians, cyclists and bus riders use the 14th Street corridor by late 2017.

The department is currently seeking public comment on a streetscape project that would span 14th Street NW from Thomas Circle to Florida Avenue. The design as currently proposed includes new “bulb-outs” that would let buses pick up passengers without pulling out of traffic, “cut-through” bike lanes, new crosswalks, streetlights, bike racks and benches, among other improvements.

The purpose of the design, according to DDOT, is to increase multi-modal safety, improve the corridor’s pedestrian safety and ADA compliance and add new character to the area. DDOT project manager Rick Kenney presented the design before Logan Circle’s ANC 2F and 14th Street/U Street’s ANC 1B during the commissions’ monthly meetings last week.

“It’s going to make a significant improvement to the commercial corridor,” said Commissioner John Fanning during ANC 2F’s meeting.

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