Canal Road has reopened after flooding last week.

Courtesy of DDOT

Update 7/15: Emergency repairs to Canal Road are complete, and the thoroughfare has reopened several days ahead of schedule.

Original:

Part of Canal Road will remain closed for emergency repairs for at least another week, District transit officials announced on Friday.

The District’s Department of Transportation is blocking off traffic on a 1.6-mile stretch of Canal Road between Foxhall Road and Reservoir Road to repair damages from this week’s record-breaking downpour, according to a press release.

“After a full inspection of the roadway, DDOT determined that emergency repairs are necessary and will take approximately one week to complete,” DDOT said in a release. “Additional work may be necessary for the long-term stability of the roadway.”

The flash flooding that hit the D.C. region on Monday morning turned Canal Road into what looked like a literal canal, forcing stranded commuters to scramble onto the roofs of their cars to avoid being submerged in murky brown water.

Emergency squads rescued six people on Canal Road who were trapped in and on top of their vehicles on Monday, according to Vito Maggiolo, a spokesperson for D.C. Fire and EMS. None of them were injured.

DDOT temporarily closed Canal Road to allow flood waters to recede after Monday’s storm. The road was briefly reopened, but on Wednesday the agency decided to shut it down again after determining that the structural damage was a “hazard for residents and commuters.”

D.C. Police tweeted yesterday that a sinkhole had opened up on the road.

DDOT said that drivers should be cautious while following signed detours as crews work to fix the roadway.

Canal Road is an important thoroughfare for residents traveling into downtown Washington from some neighborhoods in Northwest D.C., along with Maryland suburbs like Bethesda, Potomac, and Glen Echo.

Filed Under: canal road, ddot, flash flood, flooding, repairs, road closures,