Photo by Sommer Mathis

Last fall we reported that builders in the District would be required to construct covered pedestrian walkways beginning in October. Since then, we’ve definitely seen a few of the new, safer passages around town, but we’ve also run into more than a handful of others, such as the one pictured above at 11th and K Streets NW, that still force pedestrians to cross the street to use a proper sidewalk (or, as is often the case, simply put them in harms way when they end up walking alongside a construction fence in a lane of traffic, as is the case in this photo).

So, where our covered walkways at?

“Existing sites were not required to comply in full,” explained DDOT spokesperson Karyn LeBlanc. “We treat them on a case-by-case basis. New sites are required to be in compliance.”

So if you’re still bugged by an impassible sidewalk on your way in to work each morning, it’s likely because that construction was underway well before October, 2007. Until all these previously existing building sites are completed, D.C. residents can expect to see a patchwork of covered passageways, occasional non-covered pedestrian lanes, and totally obstructed ones like the one at 11th and K.

Which construction site sidewalks annoy you the most?