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Significant Changes Coming to Prather’s Alley!

Thursday March 11, 2021

One of Mount Vernon Triangle’s most active multimodal passageways is set to undergo transformation to become a nexus of connectivity for our MVT community. Centrally located in the heart of Mount Vernon Triangle, Prather’s Alley – located near the intersection of 4½ Street NW & Prather’s Court NW – will undergo changes to enhance its vibrancy, safety and accessibility.

With support from our partners at EL Studio and UrbanSEED, MVT CID was awarded a grant from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) for the design of safety infrastructure improvements for Prather’s Alley to include signage, lighting and traffic calming components. Current plans are for artistic and storytelling components to also be included. Community engagement is a significant component of this process, so please stay tuned for information on how you can participate. Project funding was awarded by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration through its Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

In addition to the work that will be completed through this TAP grant, further improvements planned for the alley include:

  • Two traffic mirrors are being installed at the intersection of 4½ Street NW & Prather’s Court NW to mitigate the safety threats of thru traffic. MVT CID thanks the owners of 450K Apartments and 455 Eye Apartments for their support of this safety effort.
  • Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6E has approved (and conveyed to DDOT) our request to convert the alley to a one-way street with vehicles heading south on 4½ Street NW. DDOT’s review and analysis of this request is currently underway.

Prather’s Alley is an integral and historically significant part of our Mount Vernon Triangle community, and this project will focus on maintaining its purpose, elevating its visual appeal, and protecting the safety of pedestrians by integrating proactive design controls. What’s more, the project enhances Mount Vernon Triangle’s sustainable growth and destination appeal as a community where both vehicles and non-motorists can safely travel through – and to – our community.

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