On or about Friday, April 1, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will begin construction on the sidewalk along the west side of Nebraska Avenue, NW between Van Ness Street and New Mexico Avenue, NW. According to DDOT, this project is intended to widen the sidewalk by up to four feet to create a 10-foot multi-use trail to be used more safely by pedestrians and cyclists.

A multi-use trail was deemed the best option to avoid significant impacts to traffic and parking due to the width and configuration of Nebraska Ave. The work is part of the District’s moveDC transportation plan, which designates Nebraska Avenue a priority bicycle corridor.

DDOT’s Notice of Intent can be viewed here.

Beginning April 4^th, the Spring Valley Building (SVB) shuttle bus stop will move from its current location (48^th St. side of SVB) to the corner of Massachusetts Ave. and 48th St. The shuttle will share the stop with Metro buses. The relocation of the Spring Valley Building shuttle stop is the result of a collaboration between the AU Neighborhood Partnership, ANC 3E, and our neighbors.

The Red Express and Green routes will drop off and pick up at the new stop and head back to Tenleytown Metro. An AU shuttle bus-stop sign will be installed under the existing Metro bus sign. TransLoc also will change the route map and the stop location for the mobile app and desktop version. 

By sharing the existing WMATA bus stop, the university has created a more efficient shuttle route that is conveniently located for shuttle riders and limits impacts on residential neighborhoods. The relocation also reduces idling and carbon emissions. The bus stop has been safely used by members of the AU community and neighborhood for many years.

The university will continue to work closely with DDOT and members of the community to ensure that AU's Traffice Demand Management policies and programs effectivetly support and incentivize safe and sustainable travel modes for students, faculty, staff and campus visitors.

Please consider joining the AU Neighborhood Partnership which works to provide a consensus-based forum to resolve issues affecting the communities near American University. Interested members of the community may join one of the Partnership’s five standing working groups, comprising community stakeholders and AU leadership. 

If you would like to become a member of a working group, please email communityrelations@american.edu. As always, visit American.edu/communityrelations for more information.

American University will hold a two-day blood drive on April 11 and 15. Working with Inova Blood Donor Services, the drive hopes to connect with 80 – 100 donors and recruit two volunteers per hour to help greet and check people in. 

Information also will be provided about the ADVANCE (Assessing Donor variability And New Concepts in Eligibility) Study, a pilot study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focuses on evaluating alternatives to the blood donor deferral policy known as men who have sex with men (MSM). Currently, the FDA recommends that men who have had sex with another man be deferred from donating blood for three months after the most recent sexual contact with another man. The purpose of the study is to determine whether a different donor deferral policy can be used at blood centers nationwide while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.

To see if you are able to donate blood, be sure to review the Eligibility Requirements and FAQ page. To register to be a blood donor on April 11, click here. To register for April 15, click here. Click here to register to volunteer as a greeter at the check-in table on April 11 or 15.