“DC Water celebrates construction end in Bloomingdale/LeDroit Park”

by Prince Of Petworth June 1, 2017 at 9:30 am 18 Comments

100 block of Rhode Island Ave, NW in 2012

From DC Water:

“When: Saturday, June 3, 2017

Where: 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Crispus Attucks Park, 23 U Street NW is in the alley complex between the unit blocks of U Street and V Street NW. Access the park through the alley entrances on the north side of U Street NW and the south side of V Street NW.

The purpose of the festival is to show appreciation to the community for enduring three years of heavy construction and to celebrate the operation of the First Street Tunnel system designed to mitigate flooding in the Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods. The event also celebrates the Bryant Street Pumping Station Discharge Piping Replacement Project and the Small Diameter Water Main Replacement Project, all begun and completed since 2011.”

Carey

What’s the verdict? Has it helped to control flooding in the neighborhood?
- Bobert
  
  There hasn’t been any flooding in Bloomingdale since 2012 (perhaps earlier).
  - ryan2499
    
    2012 is correct. Early September was the last of the multiple floods that summer.
- Anon
  
  It’s definitely helped. Not only have there been little to no reports of flooding in basements, but I’ve noticed a significant difference in how the streets drain as well. Some of that is probably better catch basin cleaning but that can really do only so much.
Truxton Thomas

Will this include all the construction at 4th and Florida that was ongoing as of 8:30 a.m. today?
- Bobert
  
  No, that’ll be in effect for quite some time, unfortunately. DC water is doing quite a bit of work along RIA. But our pipes do need updating, so we’ll have to bear along.
  - Nathan
    
    Yeah I think that’s probably for the larger North East Boundary Tunnel. There’s a good deal of utility prep that needs to happen before they can start that.
  - Truxton Thomas
    
    That was my understanding, but just checking after seeing the above notice. Thanks.
Anonymous

Man I remember my first basement apartment in DC on 1st and V. I was dating someone at that time and I may have slept in the apartment 2-3 times max. One day I went to the apartment and every single thing in it was covered in mold, my bed frame was completely warped. I had to toss every single thing in the apartment?as well as move out. It was a nightmare. That was back in 2001. To think that flooding has been going on for many years is crazy.
- LedroitTiger
  
  +1 I fled after getting flooded probably 4 times in 2 weeks at one point. I remember having to leave work every time it started to drizzle in a vain attempt to barricade my basement apartment door. In the end, I just started going straight to Boundary Stone because I knew there was nothing I could do and the sweet brown nectar helped to dull the pain…
ex-Bloomingdaler

This work had little to do with Bloomingdale’s floods, which I am pretty sure were due to storm drains blocked with detritus. It’s part of a massive publics work project to build a gigantic new water main from McMillan all the way to Blue Plains. And as a (now former) resident of one of the streets DC Water has been working on, the last three years were a living nightmare. Massive dump trucks driving up and down the street every morning from 7am and the constant noise and vibration have caused a lot of damage to the houses there.
- houseintherear
  
  Yep. DCWater had a great time using emergency funding to make this McMillan tunnel happen. And it was a total nightmare, agreed. Hell they haven’t even finished paving at 1st and V, ffs.
eastof9

Thank God this is over. This construction went waaaaaay over schedule.
bloomie rez

they’re still not done at the intersection of 1st & V. 2 more days guys, let’s see if they can finish it before their celebration!
- Nathan
  
  They also won’t be done with the tree boxes on the south side of Adams St until after the celebration.
- houseintherear
  
  If they don’t, I will picket the hell out of that celebration.
anon

….there’s nothing to celebrate. Not only did the work turn the neighborhood into a nightmare to drive and walk in for years, but many houses suffered substantial damage from the construction. And now we’re in battles with insurance companies to get restitution. So, yay, DC Water.
- siz
  
  +1

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