Bush and Peters announce Pennsylvania Avenue improvements

Public Roads, March-April, 2005

First Lady Laura Bush and Federal Highway Administrator Mary E. Peters recently reopened to pedestrians the section of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, DC. The area was closed since January 2004 for scenic renovation and security improvements.

Each year, thousands of tourists visit the pedestrian plaza located between the White House and Lafayette Park. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) engineers and architects renovated the area using new "rustic pavement" technology and walkways, which re-create the historic look of 19th-century streets and landscaping. "We've completed a gracious, beautiful, and secure public streetscape that all Americans can enjoy," said Peters.

Joining Mrs. Bush and Administrator Peters at the ceremony were Washington, DC, Mayor Anthony A. Williams; National Capital Planning Commission Chairman John V. Cogbill III; and architect Michael Van Valkenburgh, who provided the design for the new look of the street and pedestrian plaza. The design maintains the safety of pedestrians in the modern-day District of Columbia, while incorporating elements of Pierre-Charles L'Enfant's original, European-influenced plans for the city, the natural beauty of Andrew Jackson Downing's Lafayette Park, and the landscaping on the White House grounds. Construction teams also have begun placing asphalt at Jackson Place and Madison Place.

For more information, contact Doug Hecox at 202-366-0660 or doug.hecox@fhwa.dot.gov.