New digital signs warn of upcoming Albemarle Street closure for final Soapstone sewer work

On Monday, August 19th, four of these digital signs appeared in the neighborhood:

This one is on Albemarle Street, west of Connecticut Avenue at 35th Street. And it is difficult to read in the afternoon sun, but the sign’s message is alternating between “Upcoming Road Closure” and “Albe. Street.”

The sign is referring to DC Water’s pending closure of Albemarle Street, east of Connecticut Avenue. The utility revealed its plan in June for completing what project manager Peter Tinubu described as the “most difficult” phase of what’s been a two and a half year Soapstone Valley sewer rehabilitation. An Albemarle manhole will be dismantled, brick by brick. The last segment of sewer pipe will be relined. The manhole will be rebuilt. And while this is happening, a section of Albemarle next to the Soapstone Valley Trail entrance will be closed for two months.

In an August 16th email to ANC 3F Commissioner Mitchell Baer, DC Water revealed its plan for the signs’ placement and wording. The email also suggested the signs might be moved after at least a week at their current locations: Connecticut and Nebraska Avenue, Connecticut and Tilden Street, Albemarle and 29th Street, and the one above at Albemarle and 35th.

At this writing, no date has been announced for this final phase of the Soapstone project. In June, DC Water said the start date would depend on when DDOT issues the permit for the street closure.

Our search of DDOT’s TOPS permit system indicates the traffic agency issued the permit on Wednesday, August 21st (search for permit number PA445233). The closure area is 3200-3399 Albemarle (the section between Connecticut Avenue and 32nd Street). The work type: “Excavation; Repair Sewer Main Line, Excavation; Manhole Installation, Excavation; Manhole Removal/Abandonment.”

DC Water also said in June that nearby homeowners, apartment buildings and businesses would be notified at least 72 hours before the work begins.