A reader forwards on this letter sent to DC Water and other agencies:
“I am writing on behalf of residents of the 1600 block of Longfellow Street NW, because we need an explanation for what appears to be a serious failure of coordination among the District and its utility providers.
Less than four weeks ago, on Friday, August 21, our street was finally stripped and repaved following a more than two-month-long lead pipe replacement project. This was particularly frustrating because this exact same block had already been stripped and repaved earlier this spring, in March/April 2026, despite no apparent utility work having been performed at that time.
Now,
just weeks after the second repaving within four months, a crew has painted blue and green markings throughout the street (see attached pictures). When a resident asked the individual doing the marking what the work was for, he indicated that the water main was being replaced. When residents pointed out that the street had literally just been repaved, his response was essentially that he was simply doing what he had been instructed to do.
That answer is not acceptable.
What exactly is planned for the 1600 block of Longfellow Street NW, and why was this work not coordinated with the work that was completed less than a month ago?
If these markings mean that our newly repaved street is about to be excavated yet again, this would be the third major disruption to this block in less than six months. Beyond the enormous inconvenience to residents, this raises an obvious and serious question about the stewardship of District taxpayer dollars.
This is particularly concerning because DDOT itself maintains a five-year excavation suspension for streets that have recently been restored or repaved, except in cases of emergency. The District also has a utility-work coordination system specifically intended to identify conflicts, coordinate projects, share costs, and prevent excavation of newly paved roadways. (DTAP)
The District has also publicly emphasized its efforts to coordinate DDOT and utility work precisely to minimize repeated disruptions to residents and avoid unnecessary restoration work. (DDOT)
So how did we get here?
We are asking for specific answers to the following:
What do the blue and green markings on the 1600 block of Longfellow Street NW indicate?
Is the street scheduled to be excavated again? If so, by which agency or utility, for what purpose, and when?
Was the upcoming work known or planned before the August 21 repaving?
If so, why was the work not coordinated so that the utility work occurred before the street was repaved?
If this work was not known or planned before August 21, why is excavation necessary so soon after a full repaving?
Does the five-year excavation moratorium apply to this block, and if it does not, what exception is being invoked?
Who is responsible for the cost of the repeated paving and restoration, and how much has the District or its utilities spent on this block during 2026?
What safeguards are being put in place to prevent this block from being dug up and repaved yet again?
This is not an isolated concern. Residents have watched streets throughout the District repeatedly undergo excavation and repaving, sometimes within remarkably short periods. For example, 16th Street between Colorado Avenue and Madison Street NW was, to our observation, excavated and repaved twice within approximately a year — once in July 2025 and again in August 2026.
We understand that infrastructure work is necessary and that emergencies happen. What is difficult to understand is why the District appears unable to coordinate known infrastructure projects before spending significant public money to repave a street that may immediately need to be torn up again.
We are asking for transparency, accountability, and a clear explanation of what is happening on our block. If another excavation is planned, we would also appreciate receiving the project details, permit information, anticipated dates, responsible utility/contractor, and explanation for why this work could not have been coordinated with the repaving completed on August 21.
We have been extraordinarily patient through months of construction, noise, parking disruptions, access issues and repeated road work. We are now asking the District to demonstrate that this work is being managed responsibly — both for residents and for the taxpayers who are paying for it.
We would appreciate a response before any excavation begins.”