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Originally Posted on Washington Business Journal
By Matthew Swibel
Our nation’s capital may not pave its streets — or curbs — with gold, but it might provide the next best thing.
Drivers who pass through main thoroughfares on the National Mall, navigate around Dupont Circle and weave through Georgetown’s narrow streets will notice that curbs lining these areas are made of granite. In fact, more than two-thirds of the streets in our nation’s capital have granite curbs instead of the more commonly used — and cheaper — concrete.
According to an employee who prefers anonymity in the D.C. controller’s office, the city is obeying a federal requirement that stipulates streets bordering national monuments and landmarks must have granite curbing. The rule also applies to Georgetown to preserve the aesthetic element of the neighborhood. Originally, the city used blue stone for the curbs of Georgetown, but that stone has been discontinued for 10 years because of its scarcity…
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