Callers in a two-mile radius of a Pepco construction project received an automated call the week of May 4 warning them of the possibillity of service disruptions beginning Friday, May 8. Many of those who answered were scratching their heads trying to determine where work was taking place, and which neighborhoods were affected.
The calls were notifications of upcoming work that could result in a disruption of electrical service. A Pepco representative said most of the upcoming work will take place in Ward 5, but Pepco notifed customers living within approximately a 2-mile radius of construction.
The notice is related to two customer-related projects. The first project is the Delta Senior Housing re-development (808 Bladensburg Road NE). This is a District Department of Housing and Development (DCHA) project to provide 179 affordable housing units and 18 permanent housing units as well as street-level retail to the community.
The second project is related to the Flats at Atlas development (1676 Maryland Avenue NE), a 330-unit building.
Both projects were expected to begin Friday, May 8 and conclude the week of Monday, June 15. Crews will be working from 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Due to COVID-19 and the District’s Stay Home Orders for non-essential business, commuter traffic has been limited, but Pepco said they are working with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to identify opportunities to extend work hours in order to conclude work earlier, before the public health emergency is lifted and regular commuting may resume. “This extended time will allow our crews to expedite the work to lessen the impact on you and your neighbors,” said the representative.
Additional work is required to support the projects, including excavation to install about 1800 feed of conduit and cable and then restorative work in the following areas:
- 1400 block of Florida Ave. NE
- 1100 block of Holbrook St. NE
- 1400 block of Morse St. NE
- 800 Block of Bladensburg Rd. NE
- 1500-1600 block of Maryland Ave. NE
Pepco acknowledges that the work may cause disruptions, but say they will work to minimize impacts to residents and the community. “We are coordinating with DDOT to create traffic control plans to ensure the public and workers are safe, while keeping disruption in the neighborhood to a minimum,” said a representative.
Pepco asks customers to remain clear of worksites for their safety and that of our crews. “Our crews continue to conduct work in coordination and compliance with the directives of District of Columbia agencies and departments,” said the representative, adding that conditions may necessitate changes to Pepco’s work practices and procedures.
Learn more about projects, report outages, or contact a Pepco representative via pepco.com. Don’t forget: service disconnections and new late payment fees are waived by Pepco through at least June 1.
