WASHINGTON - The National Park Service (NPS) reopened Fort Dupont Drive on Sunday, December 16 after installing new asphalt, painting new markings, and cleaning road drainage systems. This work was the first in a multi-phase project to resurface all of the roads in Fort Dupont Park that will improve visitor experiences for years to come.
“Completing this roadwork is going to provide relief to everyone who visits Fort Dupont Park," said Superintendent Tara Morrison. “We’re looking forward to rehabilitating Fort Davis Drive and other park roads once it's warm enough to start laying asphalt again."
The National Park Service plans to continue construction in the spring. That work will center on repaving Fort Davis Drive and reconfiguring the Lanham Estates Picnic Area. You can learn more about the project online, by text and by phone.
How to stay updated:
For more information on the schedule, location and duration of each road closure visit go.nps.gov/fortdrs.
To receive the most immediate and up to date information via text message, y text “fortdrs" to 888777. The service is free, but standard text and message rates may apply.
Call our project information line for a recorded update on construction at 202-690-5162.
Why Fort Dupont and Fort Davis are important:
Fort Dupont and Fort Davis were built to defend against potential Confederate attacks on the nation’s capital during the American Civil War. Completed in the spring of 1862, Fort Dupont was named after Samuel F. Dupont, a naval officer who won a significant battle at Port Royal, South Carolina in 1861. Fort Davis, completed in 1861, was dedicated to Colonel Benjamin F. Davis, who was killed in combat in 1863. Both forts were abandoned in 1865 after the Civil War ended. In the 1930s, the National Park Service acquired the forts and surrounding land for recreation. Today, popular activities include hiking, biking, running, gardening and the summer concert series.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
