The closure of Waterside Drive in Northwest Washington, D.C., is temporarily delayed after crews found an old utility line underground.
D.C. drivers were preparing to face heavy traffic in part of Northwest D.C. Waterside Drive, a critical connection point between Rock Creek Parkway and Massachusetts Avenue, was set to close Monday for two months.
Now, it’s unclear when the closure will begin.
“The planned roadway closure has been temporarily postponed after crews discovered a large early‑1900s utility line during preliminary excavation. The construction team is evaluating the line to determine necessary steps before work can safely proceed,” the National Park Service said.
NPS didn’t say how long the evaluation work could take.
The postponement will help minimize disruptions and make sure the closure isn’t extended unnecessarily, NPS said.
Extensive detours were expected to run through parts of Woodley Park and Georgetown.
Waterside Drive actually dates back to the 1930s and 40s. The National Park Service (NPS) said they plan to replace the drainage system, painting the streetlights and make it a more reliable infrastructure to reduce the need for recurring repairs.
Some drivers were worried about the impact this closure will have on their commute.
“It’s gonna be really inconvenient to a lot of people coming that use this road,” a resident told News4. It’s a major throughway of getting back and forth on Massachusetts Avenue.
“If it needs to be done, it needs to be done,” the resident said. “I think a lot of our infrastructure is probably a little too old, and it should’ve been done probably decades ago.”
NPS also promised those that live and work right there that the road will generally be open to them, although brief closures could happen at any time. The sidewalks are also expected to remain open.
Closures were expected through Nov. 13th and cause major traffic delays.
