We missed the city’s little ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday for the newly reopened Champlain Street underpass beneath the Marie Reed Learning Community Learning Center in Adams Morgan, but a quick stop by the area this afternoon confirms that one-way vehicular traffic is indeed once again flowing down this narrow, historically shady (in both senses of the word) spot.

The Fenty administration moved to get going on reopening the street last summer, in an effort to improve public safety on the street. They had good reason: that dark underpass has been the site of plenty of murders and weird beatings, not to mention a mid-drug bust police-involved shooting in May.

In its release, DDOT lists the changes to the street to include “resurfacing, new sidewalk with new granite curbs, brick gutter, pedestrian crossings, new wheelchairs ramps, new ADA compliance ramp to the Community of Hope Clinic, storm drainage upgrading, new traffic signals and new streetlights, planting trees and accommodation for a bicycle lane.” Cycling fans should also note that the bike lane markings include a contraflow lane.