(Washington, DC) – DC Water will open West Potomac Park Drive SW, a new road constructed as a part of the Potomac River Tunnel (PRT) Project, on Monday, November 18, 2024. West Potomac Park Drive will connect the partially closed Ohio Drive SW to a new traffic-signaled intersection at Independence Avenue SW and provides three lanes of traffic and sidewalks.

The new road will open for traffic in phases to allow drivers to adjust to the new intersection and traffic pattern. Once fully open, two northbound lanes and one southbound lane will direct traffic around the main construction site in West Potomac Park. Additional features include new metered parking, a shared bike and pedestrian path, and a signaled crosswalk at the new intersection.

Phase 2 Map: West Potomac Park Drive SW - located between Ohio Drive SW and Independence Ave SW

Information 

Phase 1: November 18-24
•    New traffic signal at Independence Ave SW and West Potomac Park Drive will operate with flashing yellow lights 
•    Right turns only allowed from eastbound Independence Ave SW and westbound Ohio Drive
•    Crosswalk and median at the intersection closed
Phase 2: November 25
•    New traffic signal fully operational at Independence Ave SW and West Potomac Park Drive SW
•    No restrictions on traffic, left and right turns allowed from Independence Ave SW
•    Crosswalk and median at the intersection open to pedestrians

DC Water worked with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and National Park Service (NPS) to develop and approve a traffic plan that provides safe conditions for motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and workers.

Following the project’s completion in 2030, Ohio Drive will be restored to its original route, and West Potomac Park Drive will be closed and restored to park space.

Project Details

The Potomac River Tunnel is the next major phase of the DC Clean Rivers Project. The project consists of a large-diameter deep sewer tunnel, diversion facilities, drop shafts, and support structures to capture flows from existing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) along the Potomac River and convey them to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project is needed to reduce CSOs that contribute to water quality impairment of the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay; and to comply with the 2005 Federal Consent Decree signed by DC Water, the District of Columbia, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Department of Justice, as amended in January 2016.

CSOs are released into the Potomac River from CSO Outfalls during rainfalls that exceed the system's capacity. CSOs impair water quality by increasing water bacteria levels, contributing to low dissolved oxygen impacting aquatic life, and increasing the amount of trash in waterways. An estimated 654 million gallons of CSOs currently enter the Potomac River in a year of average rainfall. The proposed controls are estimated to reduce the volume of CSOs to the Potomac River by 93% and reduce their frequency from approximately 74 events to 4 events in a year of average rainfall.

For More Information 

Project Email: dcpotomacrivertunnel@dcwater.com   
Project Website: dcwater.com/prt 
Potomac River Tunnel Project Hotline: 202-972-1388