Great Streets Framework Plans

By uniting infrastructure investments "between the curbs" with economic development support "behind the curb," the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and its program partners aim to reposition the Great Streets corridors as vibrant and unique community centers that meet the needs of local residents, visitors, workers and entrepreneurs. Toward this end, DDOT has committed more than $100 million over the next 4 years to define, improve, and maintain the public realm of the corridors. Public space improvements such as restored streets, sidewalks, transit services, lighting and trees reveal the promise of target neighborhoods - places that will soon bring population back to Washington, generate commerce, create jobs, expand the District's tax base, and improve the quality of life for the residents. Guiding Principles of the Great Streets Initiative include: Change the public and market perceptions of the corridors through streetscape and transportation improvements, and reposition them as one of the best places to live and work, consequently expanding the city's tax base; Transform roadways and intersections into environmentally friendly and usable community open spaces; Change the existing "corridors" function from major vehicular arterials into streets that sustain healthy pedestrian and transit based activities, and consequently support the city's air quality and transportation agendas; Transform each corridor into a place that is memorable, compelling, and desirable to visit again and again; Reposition the street as a vital neighborhood asset, and thus increase the community's stake in its design, upkeep, and stewardship.