Ninth St. Bridge Makeover Complete

A bridge makeover project in the District is finally over and it should help ease traffic in northeast Washington.

On Tuesday, city leaders held a dedication ceremony for the new Ninth Street bridge.

The old one was 70 years old and needed serious work.

Construction crews spent two years reconstructing it with more safety features and better pedestrian accessibility.

The bridge now carries four lanes of traffic and provides two 9-foot wide sidewalks.

Other enhancements include granite faced curbs, ornamental light poles and fixtures, as well as updated fencing and railings.

Mayor Vincent Gray said all that hard work is good for the community and good for business.

He also made mention of how far the city has come in terms of transportation improvements.

“For those who remember, this was gridlock,” he said matter-of-factly. “This was a real log-jam here and it’s hard to figure out how you get down Mount Olivet Road, how you get down Brentwood [and] how you get onto New York Avenue, but that’s all been cleared up by the project we are dedicating today.”

Gray also pointed out how the city is in the process of rejuvenating the entire corridor.

New York Avenue is next up.

It too will take two years of construction to complete.

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