By Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Whatever happens in the presidential election, Pennsylvania Avenue will be ready for its close-up, according to the District Department of Transportation.

Construction crews began repaving the avenue between Third and 15th streets NW last night, part of a $2 million project to spruce up the roadway in time for the January inauguration of whoever wins in November.

Until Oct. 30, drivers should expect some lanes to be blocked as workers tear up and resurface Pennsylvania and Independence Avenue SW, the latter between Washington Avenue and First Street. Work will occur from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Friday. Rush hours will be spared.

Pennsylvania Avenue looks just fine, doesn't it? Not a pothole in sight.

"It's one of those borderline cases," said Kathleen Penney, chief engineer for DDOT.

There has been some wear and tear since it was last repaved, in 2000, before President Bush's first inauguration, she said.

A resurfacing project lasts only eight years?

"It has some life in it. . . . If there was no inauguration happening, we probably wouldn't be doing it," Penney said.

Pennsylvania Avenue is a showcase for DDOT, Penney said.

"It's expected to look perfect for Inauguration Day," she said. "It's ushering in the new president. . . . It's one of the issues we take very seriously at DDOT."

The city began repaving this week to get ahead of winter, said Karyn LeBlanc, a spokeswoman for DDOT. "We don't want to get too close to cold weather," she said.

Some federal money is being tapped, but city officials said they couldn't say how much. "It's not like it's free for us, but we're not throwing money away," Penney said.

The $2 million isn't all being spent on resurfacing. Sidewalks are being repaired, and 133 streetlight poles and 112 traffic signal poles are being repainted, DDOT said. Some of that work began three weeks ago.