When Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. announced in 2007 that he successfully added Rhode Island Avenue and North Capitol Street to the District of Columbia “Great Streets” program, there was reason for Ward 5 residents and business owners to cheer.

“Great Streets” is a District initiative to revitalize aging commercial corridors around the city by overhauling their infrastructure and making major improvements to roadways, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping.

Naming Rhode Island Avenue and North Capitol Street to the program would bring “economic revitalization to our neighborhoods,” said Mr. Thomas. Mr. Thomas’ efforts appeared to bear fruit when the District allocated $500,000 last year to study the two corridors.

However, in April, when Mayor Fenty released his six-year spending plan for transportation projects, the hopes of Ward 5 residents and business owners crashed into political reality: out of eight “Great Streets” in the District, the two located in Ward 5 are the only ones not receiving any funding for improvements.

The other six “Great Streets” will each receive between $12 million and $74 million in major streetscape enhancements from 2009 through 2015.

Overall, the Mayor’s plan will fund $230 million in streetscape revitalization projects for 25 commercial areas around the city, including the “Great Streets” program.

Brookland Heartbeat asked Mayor Fenty to comment on the lack of funding for Rhode Island Avenue and North Capitol Street. Mr. Fenty said through a spokesperson, “DDOT [the District Department of Transportation] does not currently have plans, funding, or resources at this time for streetscape upgrades for these corridors.”

However, recent events show that there is no shortage of funds for transportation-related revitalization projects in the District.

In the past few months, Mayor Fenty secured $60 million from the federal stimulus package to enhance and revitalize seven commercial areas around the city, none in Ward 5. Pennsylvania Avenue SE, a previously unfunded “Great Street,” was awarded $20 million.

Ward 5 is among three wards in the District with double-digit unemployment and would appear to be a logical candidate for revitalization. Despite this, not only is Ward 5 not receiving any Great Streets funding, but it is receiving only a small fraction—just 1%—of the $230 million being spent on city streetscapes.

The top three recipients of streetscape revitalization funds are Wards 2, 6 and 7.

Ward 5’s share is $2.25 million, which will be spent to complete the 12th Street NE Streetscape project begun last year. No similar projects will be undertaken in Ward 5 for the duration of the six-year plan.

Asked to comment, Mayor Fenty said, “my administration has made economic revitalization in Ward 5 a priority.”

Mr. Fenty gave as examples seven projects taking place in Ward 5, including the Brookland Streetscape, a new bridge in Brentwood, and the construction of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a walking and biking path extending from Silver Spring to Union Station.