Drivers frustrated by the long-term Ohio Drive road closure along D.C.’s Southwest waterfront should see a little bit of relief with the opening of a new access road Monday.
Since June, a small section of Ohio Drive, along the Potomac River, has been closed off for work on the Potomac River Tunnel Project. DC Water is opening a new access street, West Potomac Park Drive, that will connect Independence Avenue and Ohio Drive.
The three-lane road has two lanes headed north and a single southbound lane.
“As we work to improve water quality and reduce sewer overflow in the Potomac River, we also recognize the importance of maintaining access for traffic and the millions who visit West Potomac Park each year,” said DC Water CEO and General Manager David L. Gadis.
“This road will help minimize the impact on our community while we embark on this bold project to safeguard this vital water resource for our region,” Gadis said in a news release.
West Potomac Drive will also have a shared bike and pedestrian path and a new traffic light at the intersection of Independence Avenue. The road will also include new metered parking spaces.
It will open in two phases: On Nov. 18, the road will be restricted to right turns only. Beginning Nov. 25, the traffic signal will be “fully operational, and the intersection and road will be open for all vehicular and pedestrian traffic from Independence Ave SW.,” DC Water said.
The Potomac River Tunnel project is scheduled to be completed in 2030. At that time, Ohio Drive will be restored, and West Potomac Park Drive will be closed and turned back into park space.
The tunnel project is constructing a huge tunnel to catch sewer overflow that would normally flow into the Potomac River and instead carry it to the Blue Plains wastewater treatment facility.
In September 2023, crews completed work on the Northeast Boundary tunnel, a 5-mile underground tunnel in Northeast that aims to reduce sewer overflow into the Anacostia River.
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