(Washington, DC) In anticipation of Hurricane Irene, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced efforts are underway to ensure the safety of the traveling public from potential storm-related impacts in the District of Columbia.

Given the probability of severe winds and the potential for flooding DDOT’s active construction project work sites are being secured to prevent damage. DDOT has also directed permit holders working in public space to take measures to ensure their work zones are secured. All work in the right of way, with the exception of emergency repairs, will be suspended at the close of business today (Friday, August 26).

In addition:

• Drainage ways in flood prone areas are being cleared and actively monitored to prevent flooding issues.
• Generators are being deployed city-wide to provide back-up power for traffic signals.
• The Urban Forestry Administration is proactively pruning trees along some critical roadways.
• DDOT personnel and contractors will be on call throughout the weekend to clear downed trees and debris.
• DDOT is coordinating emergency evacuation preparedness efforts with HSEMA, U.S. DOT, VDOT and MDOT and will continue to track the weather conditions through the weekend.

DDOT will be providing critical traffic-related and emergency information on a real time basis via twitter.com/ddotdc . Residents are strongly urged to avoid traveling during the storm if possible. High winds could topple trees and pose a hazard to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Citizens are asked to call 311 to report any downed trees or branches in the public space and to provide as much detail as possible.

The Dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the DC Rally for Full Democracy and the National Action Network March scheduled for this weekend, and the related street closures, have been cancelled.

Transit Services:

If weather conditions become unsafe, transit services may be impacted or suspended during the storm. For updates please use the following resources:

Metrorail and Metrobus: wmata.com  and twitter.com/wmata

DC Circulator: dccirculator.com  and twitter.com/DCCirculator

Capital Bikeshare: capitalbikeshare.com , twitter.com/Bikeshare  and facebook.com/CapitalBikeshare

Emergency Information Resources:
Detailed information about traffic evacuation routes and transportation tips for an emergency incident are available online at ddot.dc.gov.

Additional emergency preparedness information is available at 72hours.dc.gov Members of the public are also encouraged to sign up to receive updates on severe weather, traffic and incidents via email and/or text message from ALERT DC at textalert.ema.dc.gov. Residents can also monitor Channel 16 in the District for storm updates.