The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) was created in 1984 by Congress to promote the prevention, management, and peaceful resolution of international conflicts. Previously located at 1200 17th Street N.W., in the District of Columbia, our firm was retained to assess the transportation impacts of a relocated headquarters.

To further promote USIP’s mission, Congress established a permanent location for the organization that was both highly visible and accessible to the public. With agreements with USIP’s new neighbor, the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, property was granted to build a new headquarters in the northwest quadrant of the 23rd Street/Constitution Avenue intersection in the nation’s capital.

Wells + Associates was retained by USIP to assess the transportation impacts of this government facility relocation. Our firm collected field data and conducted an employee transportation survey to determine current and future travel characteristics. We evaluated the feasibility of a new traffic signal at the USIP driveway, a new lay-by lane on 23rd Street, parking garage access and egress, and on-site circulation. Pre-timed and demand-responsive signal systems that included existing signals at Constitution Avenue, the Navy Annex, and the U.S. Department of State, were evaluated.

Wells + Associates was selected in large part due to our extensive experience with transportation assessments in the vicinity of the government site, including the Department of State, American Pharmacists Association, and Federal Reserve Board. Within this highly visible area, a key component of such projects is the need to implement enhanced security measures coincident with transportation needs.