On July 18, 2023, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held a pre-construction meeting on the extension of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) from Fort Totten to Takoma. The dedicated project website is https://mbt-forttotten-takoma.ddot.dc.gov. There you can find construction updates and project resources such as design plans and meeting presentations. Construction will take place in phases. Completion is expected in 2025. Send questions/concerns to project email at metbranchtrail@dc.gov.

See Link to MBT Fort Totten-Takoma extension pre-construction meeting

General work hours will be 7:00 am-7:00 pm Monday through Friday. Exact work hours will vary. All available lanes will be open during morning and evening rush hour. Saturday and night work will be reserved for special circumstances and requires advanced notice and DDOT approval. No work will be done on Sundays. DDOT will work with Metro on advance public notice for any necessary temporary bus stop closures.

DDOT answered a number of questions. A few of my questions were (1) where construction staging for Phase 1 will take place; (2) whether DDOT can add the missing curb ramp on 1st Place NE during Phase 1 for people approaching the MBT at Fort Totten from the east and south of Riggs Road; and (3) whether DDOT can easily email weekly or regular construction updates especially those regarding closures impacting pedestrians/bus riders/drivers without making people sign up for a special account. DDOT said they are aware of the missing curb cut issue and will look into it. They will answer the other questions once they have firm responses.

There were also questions about safe accommodations, suggested routes for regular MBT riders north of Fort Totten during construction, whether a bridge across Riggs Road is an option (that could be longer term goal), removal of trees during future phases (DDOT said no tree removal is planned for construction of the Fort Totten-Takoma section), activation of a traffic signal at New Hampshire before completion of the project, something about a blind corner at Maple, alignments in the Piney Branch to Blair Road segment (a future phase), and other stuff I cannot remember right now. Again, DDOT will try to address these questions on the project website when they have firm answers.

General information about the MBT is available at metbranchtrail.com.

Information about Fort Totten-Takoma construction phases, other MBT sections, and a traffic advisory for the Fort Tottten station area below.

Phase 1: Summer 2023 to Winter 2023
Construction Begins Fort Totten Metro Station Parking Area to South Dakota Avenue NE

Phase 2: Winter 2023 to 2024
Construction on South Dakota Avenue NE to McDonald Place NE to Blair Road NW
Construction on East side of roadway

Phase 3: Winter 2024 to Spring 2025
Construction on Blair Road – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW
Construction on East side of roadway

Phase 4: Spring 2025 to Summer 2025
Construction on Blair Road NW – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW
Construction on West side of roadway and Sandy Spring Road NW

Phase 5: Summer 2025
Construction on Blair Road NW – Oglethorpe Street NW to Aspen Street NW and Sandy Spring Road NW
Construction on roadway medians

Other MBT sections

• 8th Street Protected bike lane
  • Protected bike lane & one-way conversion Summer 2023
• Brookland to Fort Totten extension
  • Completed in 2022
• Blair Rd to Piney Branch Rd – Takoma Area
  • Design began in 2021
  • Approaching 65% design, public update in Fall 2023
• Eastern Avenue
  • Completed in 2021

(Aside: For awareness, I was informed that the cycletrack planned for Riggs Road between 1st Place and South Dakota Avenue NE (NOI-23-75-PSD) has been put on hold (maybe indefinitely) due to staffing capacity. DDOT stated they will not proceed before returning to ANC 5A and 4B and other stakeholders. That could happen as soon as fall 2023 but also could be later, depending on when DDOT has capacity to resume the project and address the comments in the NOI).

Traffic Advisory

DDOT has also posted a traffic advisory impacting the Fort Totten Metro station area.