WASHINGTON (7News) – Residents of the Eckington neighborhood in Northeast D.C. are raising serious concerns about safety and growing frustration after traffic lights at a busy intersection have been non-functional for nearly a month. Locals say the ongoing outage at the intersection of Lincoln Road NE and R Street NE is putting drivers, pedestrians, and families at risk.
Intersection Dark Since Late June
According to community members, the traffic lights have been out since late June. That timeline was confirmed by Pepco, the local utility company, which acknowledged the outage but has yet to provide a definitive timeline for repairs.
While out speaking with neighbors on Wednesday, 7News On Your Side witnessed two vehicles nearly colliding in the middle of the intersection—highlighting the urgency of the issue.
Frustration Grows as Agencies Pass the Blame
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) Joe Bishop-Henchman, who represents the area, said he has been pressing for answers from both Pepco and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). So far, his efforts have yielded more confusion than clarity.
“If it’s going on for a month now with no fix in sight, something is not right,” Bishop-Henchman said. “I hope no one is injured from this. But if this goes on forever, I am worried it’s just a matter of time.”
Residents echoed his concerns, saying the broken lights pose an ongoing danger—especially in a neighborhood where families frequently walk and traffic is heavy during rush hours.
“I’m worried about a crash, hitting a car or a family walking across the street,” said one resident. “It’s urgent. It shouldn’t take this long to fix a traffic light.”
Pepco and DDOT Point Fingers
The lack of progress appears to stem from a bureaucratic tug-of-war between Pepco and DDOT. At a press conference earlier this week, Nigel Rosser from Pepco stated:
“A lot of the streetlights are controlled by DDOT and not by Pepco, but we don’t have an answer at this time if it’s a Pepco or DDOT issue.”
Meanwhile, internal emails shared by Bishop-Henchman show that both entities acknowledge the problem but claim the other is responsible. One Pepco email stated:
“Pepco is actively addressing the issue and has determined that coordination with DDOT is necessary… The existing manhole at this location is small and lacks sufficient space to accommodate additional ducts or cables.”
A response from DDOT noted:
“We do need Pepco to remove their abandoned cable before work can be done.”
Bishop-Henchman summed up the situation bluntly:
“DDOT says it’s not their equipment, it’s an electricity issue. Pepco says they’re providing electricity and the problem is DDOT’s equipment. They’re just pointing fingers. No one is working to fix this problem.”
Temporary Measures Not Enough
Currently, the intersection is being controlled by temporary stop signs, which residents say are ineffective during peak traffic hours. With no permanent resolution in place, the community remains vulnerable to preventable accidents.
Official Statement from Pepco
In response to questions from 7News, a Pepco spokesperson issued the following statement:
“Pepco has been coordinating with DDOT since late June to support work they are completing to restore service to traffic signals at Lincoln Rd and R St. NE. This includes providing temporary access to Pepco’s manhole to house DDOT equipment and restore power to the traffic signal. Additional work has taken place this week to enable final construction by DDOT. We will continue to coordinate with DDOT until all repairs are complete.”
Community Demands Action, Not More Meetings
Despite multiple emails, discussions, and meetings, residents say no physical progress has been made at the intersection.
“I haven’t seen anything yet,” said Bishop-Henchman. “There’s been a lot of talk the last couple of days about maybe having some more discussion and some more meetings. What matters is what you do, not what you say.”
As the impasse drags on, residents are left navigating a hazardous crossing—hoping that bureaucratic delays don’t result in tragedy.
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