Dupont Circle deckover work starts promising new public plaza

Crews today began work on Dupont Circle’s $37 million deckover project that will cover the Connecticut Avenue underpass with a new public plaza, a project D.C. leaders have celebrated as transformative.

The District Department of Transportation project will bring a plaza over the Connecticut Avenue underpass between the Dupont Circle and Q Street, NW.

Councilmember Brooke Pinto, who represents Ward 2, said in an email statement that she has worked closely with DDOT to ensure the needs of residents and businesses are addressed throughout the process. 

She described the project as transformative and said she is “excited for it to bring a new public space for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

The Dupont Circle Business Improvement District (BID) has said local businesses are eager for the project to move forward. A BID spokesperson told The Wash that, at a meeting last week, many business owners expressed excitement about the improvements and the potential for more visitors.

Vincent Slatt, a commissioner and treasurer with ANC 2B03, said the idea of a deckover is not new.

“They’ve been talking about decking over that hole for decades — 30, 40 years,” he said. “Now it’s finally happening, along with the Connecticut Avenue streetscape project to fix sidewalks, trees, and curbs.”

Neighborhood questions

The gap between official enthusiasm and community awareness highlights what may become the project’s greatest challenge: questions left unanswered even as construction begins.

A January resolution by the Dupont Circle Citizens Association (DCCA) laid out four concerns about the project, including questions about air quality, accessibility, maintenance, and construction impacts.

In its resolution, DCCA warned that the deck could trap vehicle exhaust in the underpass without a clear ventilation plan. The same resolution noted that while planners have mentioned updated sidewalks and ramps, the design lacks dedicated drop-off zones and parking that would make the plaza accessible to residents with disabilities.

Slatt said he worries about who will take responsibility for cleaning, security, and upkeep once the deckover is complete. The DCCA resolution also questioned whether the District has allocated a dedicated budget for long-term maintenance.

German Vigil, a public information officer with DDOT, told The Wash via email that the underpass already has a ventilation infrastructure and that reinforced mesh near the circle will allow for air circulation once the deck is built. 

Vigil said the project will follow Americans With Disabilities Act standards, the city’s ADA Transition Plan and the Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines, as well as DDOT’s own Design & Engineering Manual, Public Realm Design Manual and Streetscape Guidelines to ensure accessibility. 

He confirmed that the plaza will be maintained as public space, with the Dupont Circle BID partnering in programming and upkeep.

Regarding construction impacts, Vigil said businesses on the plaza will remain open during regular hours, with pedestrian access, deliveries and trash pickup continuing without interruption.

The uncertainty reflects a gap between the deckover supporters’ optimism and the day-to-day concerns of businesses facing potential disruptions during construction. 

Several employees of businesses along Connecticut Avenue told The Wash they had little information about the project. 

In a June report from WTOP News, salon owner Sandy Campbell said she believed the project will ultimately be positive, but added, “it’s going to cause congestion in the area … probably a year and a half of some hard times.”

Save Connecticut Avenue, a neighborhood advocacy group, also has criticized the project. 

The group, which formed to oppose DDOT’s plans to remove car lanes and add bike lanes farther north, argues that the deckover construction will further strain the city’s already congested roads. 

Save Connecticut Avenue warned in an April report that lane closures would “pile on to D.C.’s traffic woes,” disrupting drivers well beyond Dupont Circle. 

The group declined to provide further comment when contacted by The Wash.

In addition, interviews at Dupont Circle suggest many residents and pedestrians are unaware of what is about to unfold. 

“I’ve never heard of it,” said Cassey Elder, a Dupont Circle resident, as she walked her dog near the circle. “If there are picnic tables, it could be great.” 

Minutes from ANC 2D’s April 2025 meeting, held at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church on Connecticut Avenue NW, shows that residents pressed DDOT on how many parking spaces would be eliminated and whether local businesses supported the project.

“Small minority of loud voices”

“It’s not everyone who is upset,” Slatt said. “It’s a very small minority of loud voices — the classic NIMBY opposition.” 

Most residents either don’t know about the project or don’t care, Slatt said, adding that the D.C. government has not been good at sharing information, which amplifies the objections of this small group.

“It might be good for pedestrians,” said Austin Chavez, who lives in another D.C. neighborhood. “But so many streets are already closing. It may not turn out the way people expect.”

According to DDOT’s project website, construction is expected to last two years, with completion projected for 2027.