The first rebuilt section of Beach Drive is ready for a car-free close up.

The section of road is slated to fully re-open to traffic at the end of the month, pending any weather delays. But neighbors are invited to check out the reconstruction of the Rock Creek Park thoroughfare, which has been closed since September, on Sunday, August 20.

Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek Conservancy are hosting a Beach Drive Block Party from 1 to 4 p.m. Sans vehicles, people can walk around and check out the reconstructed roadway, a new stairway and crosswalk that lead to the National Zoo, and a wider, multi-use trail (one of the most noticeable changes may be the installation of a wider sidewalk and guardrail inside the tunnel). Cyclists and folks using other types of non-motorized vehicles can also take their wheels out for a spin on the new pavement.

“It’s a preview for residents, and an opportunity to take a look at all the work that we’ve done, kind of as a thank you,” says Ethan Alpern, a spokesperson for the National Park Service’s National Capital Region. “We know that construction is tough for neighbors.”

The work isn’t actually totally complete though. Construction will resume on Monday for another few days. Alpern says they are still hoping for the first section to be fully complete by the end of August, but that will be contingent on weather. If the downpours continue, it may take a little longer (work on the road was actually supposed to originally be finished in the spring, but engineers decided to extend the closure to complete the trail maintenance at the same time).

From beginning to end, the entire project will take three years.

It is the first time in 25 years since the heavily used 6.5 miles of roadway have been fully rehabilitated. The work includes reconstructing the entirety of the pavement, improving bike and walking paths, rehabbing six bridges, replacing traffic signals and streetlights, and installing raised pavement markers, center rumble strips, new guardrails, and road signs.

Next up, two more sections of Beach Drive will close: segment two runs from Tiden Street/Park Road NW to Broad Branch Road/Blagden Avenue NW and segment three goes from Broad Branch Road/Blagden Avenue NW to Joyce Road NW. They’ll both close at the same time, but segment two will be completed and reopened to traffic first. Detour routes can be seen here.

The Beach Drive Block Party will take place on Sunday, Aug. 20 from 1-4 p.m. near the National Zoo entrance on Beach Drive (by Harvard Street NW. It is free to attend.