Huzzah! Work to rehabilitate Columbus Plaza, which has been called “the city’s most embarrassingly neglected public space,” is scheduled to finally begin on Monday.

The circle and plaza — which currently features dirt paths for pedestrians to walk on and is damn near to navigate if you’re not a bus or a taxi — is getting a $7.8 million facelift, which is being managed by DDOT and overseen by a coalition including Amtrak, the Architect of the Capitol, DDOT, the National Park Service, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) and WMATA. The rehab will “reconfigured to improve access and safety for pedestrians and vehicular traffic, while enhancing security”:

The new traffic pattern configuration will allow for vehicles to loop around the plaza to enter and exit the station. Vehicles will no longer be required to travel through the middle of the plaza to exit the station. New sidewalks will also be added to create safe walkways for pedestrians. In addition, improvements will be made to the traffic signal system to enhance the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic movements throughout the plaza. A bollard security system will also be installed along the perimeter of Union Station.

While construction is taking place the bus, car and taxi drop-off lanes located in front of the station will remain open. Traffic lanes on Massachusetts Avenue and around the plaza will be reduced as needed. Temporary pedestrian walkways and crossings will be marked and designated as such.

The project, which is expected to take 18 months to complete, has been in the works since 2004. And while there will be some bus and pedestrians detours while the work is being done, we’re hard-pressed to think of anyone who wouldn’t be happy to make such sacrifices.