Proponents of tearing down the Whitehurst Freeway scored a victory this month when the Georgetown Business Association voted to support plans to remove the road.
GBA President William Martin, who is the owner of Martin’s Tavern, said that removing the highway, which runs above K Street, would help with traffic congestion, beautify the waterfront, and encourage people to park on the street.
“We [the Business Association] are kind of the last ones to get on board, actually,” Martin said.
At Tuesday night’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting, Chris Niemann, a spokesman for the District Department of Transportation, said the project is under internal review.
“I think in the long run people are going to realize, ‘Wow, we should’ve done this a long time ago,’” he said, adding that Mayor Adrian Fenty has modified his views against demolishing the highway.
Don Velsey of the Citizens Association of Georgetown remained unconvinced. “I’m against tearing the Whitehurst Freeway down no matter who wants to do it,” he said.
