Following a 27-day closure, DC Water will reopen a section of Piney Branch Parkway between Arkansas Avenue and Beach Drive NW early Monday morning, restoring an important cross-town connection for thousands of District commuters. During the closure, a section of the road was temporarily relocated for construction of DC Water’s Piney Branch Tunnel Project. 

Enhanced safety measures have also been put in place to protect drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. A new three-way stop has been added at Piney Branch Parkway and 17^th Street. Rumble strips and jersey barriers with high-visibility reflective markings were installed as well to alert drivers of the new curve in the road.

The adjoining pedestrian and bike trail will be separated from the construction site by barriers and fencing. A raised crosswalk at the work zone entrance will also help pedestrians cross safely and a there will be a defined path to guide cyclists through the area. Flaggers will also be on site when equipment or materials need to move across the road.

 This temporary road shift is needed so crews can build the Piney Branch Tunnel, and the roadway will be returned to the original alignment at the end of the project. 

As part of the Clean Rivers Project, Piney Branch Tunnel will help keep combined stormwater and wastewater from being discharged into Piney Branch when the system exceeds capacity during heavy rains.  The tunnel, which begins at Park Road, will capture that overflow and send it DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Once the tunnel is in service, it’s expected to cut overflow volume into Piney Branch by about 96% and the number of discharges from 25 times a year to only once, helping to protect public health and improve water quality in Piney Branch, Rock Creek, and the Potomac River.