WASHINGTON, D.C. — The District Department of Transportation is launching a five-site pilot that will test reflective pavement coatings as a way to reduce extreme heat on neighborhood streets.
The agency said work on the Cool Corridors pilot begins during the week of July 27 in Brightwood NW, North Michigan Park NE, Ivy City NE, Benning NE and an area west of Ballpark SW. The locations were selected based on heat exposure and community need.
Unlike conventional dark pavement, the light-colored coatings are designed to reflect more sunlight rather than absorb it. DDOT says cool pavement can lower surface temperatures by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot will test three products that have previously been used in cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Charlotte and Orlando.
The project comes as officials focus on Washington’s urban heat island effect. DDOT says downtown temperatures on summer afternoons can be 10 to 15 degrees higher than in nearby rural areas. That additional heat can increase health risks, raise household cooling costs and place a heavier burden on older adults, people with chronic health conditions and historically underserved neighborhoods.
American University researchers will measure conditions before and after the coatings are installed. A comparative report expected by the end of 2026 will help the District decide whether and where to make broader investments in reflective pavement.
Residents near the test sites have received advance notice, according to DDOT. Streets will need to be clear of vehicles and closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. while crews apply the material. Contractors may remain at a site for as long as three days, but individual driveway access is expected to be affected for one day, weather permitting.
The pilot is part of the Cool Corridors Multi-Hazard Resilience Study, a partnership involving DDOT, the Department of Energy and Environment, the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health. Federal Emergency Management Agency grant funding secured by HSEMA is supporting part of the project.
DDOT said the coatings are intended to complement longer-term investments in tree canopy and green infrastructure, while helping keep routes to parks and open spaces usable during periods of extreme heat.
Source: District Department of Transportation official release.
Featured image: The intersection of 14th and Tuckerman streets NW in Brightwood. Photo by Eric T Gunther via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 3.0.
The Washington Herald
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