A New Vision for Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Avenue, the iconic corridor between the White House and the U.S. Capitol, stands as one of the most recognizable landmarks in the nation. The new vision will restore the Avenue’s grandeur and streamline governance to improve maintenance and efficiency of operations. The vision will transform this historic street into a grand stage and a vibrant, welcoming destination for the American people. It capitalizes on the Avenue’s unparalleled location, scale, and historical significance to create a premier outdoor venue that will attract world-class national and international events, spurring tourism, driving growth and bolstering the local economy.

Three Ideas

Urban Capital
Linear Green
Civic Stage

The three ideas aim to "right-size" Pennsylvania Avenue to meet the needs of a modern city while preserving its symbolic and civic role. By increasing usable and flexible public space, these plans offer multiple transportation options to improve efficiency and rebalance use of the street among vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders.

  • Urban Capital reimagines the Avenue as a people-centered street, with wide sidewalks, central travel lanes for vehicles, dedicated transit lanes, and bike lanes.
  • Linear Green proposes a car-free urban park with a central transit route and bike lane, creating an active yet peaceful space.
  • Civic Stage turns the Avenue into a grand pedestrian promenade, with shared lanes for cars and transit, and a bike lane, offering an inviting atmosphere for all.

Urban Rooms for Venues

The three ideas envision the Avenue’s “urban rooms” and corridor as a sequence of high-quality civic spaces designed for a wide range of activities and amenities. From the Western End to Market Square to the Eastern End, these ‘rooms’ will serve as prime destinations for visitors, workers, and residents. Combined with the mile-long corridor, Pennsylvania Avenue will be transformed into a dynamic venue capable of hosting spectacular events year-round. These visionary proposals aspire to showcase the American spirit at the heart of our nation’s capital by restoring the Avenue’s grandeur, elevating its cultural significance, improving safety, enhancing all modes of transportation, promoting economic growth, and the revitalization of Washington, D.C.

Overview of Conceptual Ideas

For a deeper dive into the three ideas, review a Story Map that provides a visual narrative and details. You can also view a video of the February 16, 2022, the Special Commission Meeting presentation.

Vision and Concepts Public Presentations

NCPC staff presented the vision and conceptual ideas at three public meetings. Presentations and content were the same as all three. The meetings took place on April 13, April 26, and May 21. Click on the Watch Video button below to view a recording of the April 13 meeting.

Public Comment Summary Presentation

Staff briefed the Commission on the public comments received and next steps at the November 3, 2022, meeting. The completed planning studies and stakeholder input and feedback received during the public comment period will inform our future work.

Share Your Thoughts

Thank you for your feedback and comments. The official public comment period ended on July 29, 2022. However, NCPC will continue to accept general comments and questions via email at info@ncpc.gov.

What's Next

Building on the three ideas and public input, the design team is preparing preliminary design alternatives as a basis to kick off a rigorous public review period through NEPA and Section 106 in late 2025/early 2026.

Stay Engaged

We encourage you to follow future phases of work and continue to stay engaged. Click the Subscribe button below to sign up for updates.



To ask a question about the Pennsylvania Avenue Vision send an email to info@ncpc.gov.