THE LEAFLET

Remember the rainy day in 2016 that turned the Cleveland Park metro station into a cascading waterfall? Years before that watery commute, DDOT was analyzing nearby Connecticut Avenue for its capacity to manage stormwater with new trees and green infrastructure (see pages 26-27 of our Citizen Advocate Handbook).

Now, DDOT has released plans to transform the stretch of Connecticut Avenue between Macomb and Quebec Streets NW. During the community engagement process, Casey Trees’ tree advocates applauded DDOT’s suggestions of expanding growing spaces to accommodate more street trees. Casey Trees also asked for 13 new street trees to increase tree canopy, strengthen ecological connections to nearby green spaces, and intercept rainfall along this busy corridor.

We were thrilled when DDOT released their final plans in late January. Our requests for a wider sidewalk and planting strips for trees were met with a new pedestrian plaza with tree-filled rain gardens and a double row of street trees in place of the under-used service lane. And that request for 13 new street trees yielded 36 new trees in DDOT’s plans!

Many thanks to DDOT for their tireless efforts to expand tree canopy along this stretch of Connecticut Avenue and throughout D.C. These plans will create a more livable Cleveland Park community while achieving many of the District’s environmental goals.

Interested in learning how you can become a voice for trees and influence projects like this one? Join us in June for our annual advocacy workshop, Stand Up for Trees. This workshop is the first step towards becoming a Certified Tree Advocate with Casey Trees. Certified Tree Advocates receive training to become successful advocates for trees in Washington, D.C. and gain access to exclusive tools, resources, and events to ensure that D.C. continues to be the City of Trees.