Kalmia Road Culvert Closes for 6 Months

A popular way to cut through Rock Creek Park will be closed for the next six months as crews make repairs to the weathering roadway.

Workers closed off the Kalmia Road Culvert between East and West Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park closed just before 11 a.m. Tuesday.

A recent inspection by DDOT discovered a "scour hole," which is formed when foundation material is eroded -- in this case, by recent heavy rains. DDOT Spokesman Reggie Sanders said the possibility of rain in this week's forecast also contributed to the decision to move up the closure.

"We expect that's going to cause some significant deterioration to the bridge, so our chief engineer decided to close it early," Sanders said.

Repairs were originally scheduled to begin in late November.

A culvert is a structure that allows water to flow under a road -- but this culvert is outdated, and it's not just cars that use this road -- bicyclists and pedestrians also ride along.

Sanders added, "Once we put in the bridge, it will be a lot easier for the water to flow under the bridge."

Seventeen thousand cars cross the bridge daily, so the closure could cause some significant delays.

"There's going to be significant tie ups," Sanders added. "People should be aware of that, especially persons coming from Maryland and traversing to the northern parts of D.C. It's going to be kind of rough."

Crews will replace the culvert and install a new 12-inch waterline and wider sidewalk.

Contact Us