A stretch of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) in Northeast Washington closed Monday, Oct. 5, for about four weeks of resurfacing work.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is repaving the trail segment between the Brookland-CUA Metro Station and the Fort Totten Transfer Station. The agency expects work to finish in the first week of November, weather permitting, according to a DDOT press release.
The closure affects bike and scooter commuters as well as pedestrians who use the off-street corridor. DDOT said the section is among the earliest portions of the MBT to have been built, and the aging surface needed restoration.
Detour routes
Pedestrians should use the sidewalk on the west side of John McCormack Drive NE. Cyclists and scooter riders should use the John McCormack Drive roadway. Detour signs are posted throughout the area.
The parking lane on the east side of John McCormack Drive NE is temporarily closed to make room for construction staging. DDOT asked trail users to stay alert near the work zone and allow extra travel time.
Cyclists who opt for the sidewalk should slow down and yield to pedestrians at all times, the agency said.
Councilmember pushed for the project
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker said his office had been pressing DDOT to resurface the Brookland-to-Fort Totten segment throughout his first term. In his Oct. 2 newsletter, Parker wrote that the trail had long needed attention.
"If you've ever been along that portion of the trail, you know it can be a very bumpy ride!" Parker wrote.
Eckington Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Joe Bishop-Henchman, who represents ANC 5F06, shared the DDOT closure notice on X on Thursday, Oct. 1, noting the four-week estimate could shift due to weather or other delays.
DDOT called the MBT an important transportation and recreation link for Northeast Washington communities. The agency has not announced a specific reopening date but expects work to finish in the first week of November if weather cooperates.
