Come Saturday at 7:30 a.m., 25,000 runners will race across the District as part of the annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.
Though those runners will likely bring with them cheering fans and tiny paper cups filled with sports drinks, they’ll also bring road closures, schedule adjustments and altered parking enforcement to the Capitol Hill area.
According to Metro:
When the race begins, buses north of the course will turn back at a point near a rail station, if possible, resuming their regular routes into Downtown D.C. as streets reopen.
There will be no regular service [south of the course] from the start of the race until the runners clear the Downtown area. Service south of Constitution Avenue will be restored as streets become available. Other Southeast locations will return to regular service after the race ends.
Metrobus riders should expect delays. The event will have a significant impact on the following Metrobus routes: 30N,30S, 31, 32, 34, 36, 38B, 42, 52, 54, 64, 70, 74, 79, 80, 90, 92, 96, A42, A46, A48, B2, D4, D6, D8, G2, H2, H4, L2, M6, N6, P6, S2, S4,U5, U6, X2 and X8.
Road closures take effect at 6 a.m. Click here to view a full chart of closures related to the race.
Photo via runrocknroll.com
Pope Francis may have left the Capitol Hill area on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean this weekend will be quiet.
Barracks Row, the H Street corridor, Navy Yard and other areas on and around Capitol Hill are set to have a variety of happenings Saturday and Sunday. And while road closures and rerouted buses won’t be as prevalent as they were during the pope’s visit, the Barracks Row Fall Festival will cause some disruptions for drivers and bus riders.
Here’s a roundup of what to expect this weekend on and around Capitol Hill:
Events
Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
8th Street SE between E and I streets SE
Live music, arts, fashion trucks, food trucks and a petting zoo are just some of the features of the street festival that will take over several blocks of 8th Street SE.
Saturday 7 p.m.-3 a.m.
H Street corridor
Arts venues along the H Street corridor will participate in the District’s annual Art All Night festival, which includes gallery shows and live performances.
Saturday 2 p.m.
Amidon-Bowen Elementary School Park (4th and G streets SW)
Multiple vendors will set up shop at the school’s park. Organizers asked vendors to donate a portion of their proceeds to a college fund for Taije Chambliss, a 13-year-old girl who was injured in an Aug. 30 shooting.
Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
1400 East Capitol St. NE
More than 15 residents of the Car Barn condo building will participate in a building-wide yard sale.
Saturday 1-5 p.m.
Yards Park (355 Water St. SE)
Wiener dog races are the main attraction at this festival, which will also include live music, beer and food.
Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sherwood Recreation Center (640 10th St. NE)
The Sherwood Neighborhood Volunteers are hosting the 2nd annual event celebrating the neighborhood with food and activities for families.
Congressional Cemetery Screening of ‘Psycho’
Saturday 7:30 p.m.
Congressional Cemetery (1801 E St. SE)
The Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery will hold their third scary movie screening in the cemetery.
Road Closures
The only road closures planned for the Capitol Hill area this weekend are around the Barracks Row Fall Festival. The following blocks will be closed between 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.:
- 8th Street SE from E to I streets SE
- G Street SE between 7th and 9th streets SE
Metrorail
Every line except the Green Line will have maintenence work this weekend
- Red Line trains will run every 20 minutes, with additional trains from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. running every 10 to 12 minutes between the Farragut North and Rhode Island Avenue Metro stations.
- Orange, Silver, Blue, and Yellow line trains will run every 24 minutes.
Metrobus
The only Metro bus route interruptions this week will occur around the streets closed for the Barracks Row Fall Festival. The 90, 92 and 93 bus routes will detour around the closure on 8th Street SE. The following bus stops will not be served between 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday:
- M and 10th streets SE (both directions)
- M and 8th streets SE (northbound)
- 8th and L streets SE (both directions)
- 8th and G streets SE (both directions)
- 8th and E streets SE (northbound)
- 8th and D streets SE (southbound)
Circulator
The Potomac Avenue-Skyland and Union Station-Navy Yard Circulator routes also will detour around the street closures on Barracks Row. On Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Circulator will skip all stops on Barracks Row.
Photo courtesy of Barracks Row Main Street
Road closures, transit changes and extra security are set to arrive in the Capitol Hill area this week when Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the District.
Locals near Capitol Hill are expected to feel the effects of the pope’s visit most strongly on Thursday, when he is slated to speak to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol.
Here’s how his trip will affect the Capitol Hill area:
- A ticketed event is scheduled to view a live video feed of the pope’s 10 a.m. address to Congress from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Attendees also might catch a glimpse of Francis outside, but should check the list of prohibited items.
- No public, non-ticketed viewing areas are available on the U.S. Capitol grounds or the National Mall.
- The U.S. Capitol will close to the public at 5 p.m. Tuesday and remain closed for the duration of the pope’s visit.
Street Closures
- All streets within a three-block radius of the U.S. Capitol will be closed from midnight to noon on Thursday.
- Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd and 1st streets NW and Maryland Avenue SW between 1st and 3rd streets SW will both be closed from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 4 p.m. Thursday.
- Louisiana Avenue NW between Columbus Circle and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington Avenue SW between South Capitol Street and Independence Avenue SW, and East Capitol Street between 2nd and 1st streets SE and NE will be closed between midnight and 4 p.m. Thursday.
Metrorail
- Metro will increase service during afternoons and evenings. Metro does not have the capacity to increase service during rush hours and expects trains to be very crowded at those times.
- Bicycles and large coolers won’t be allowed on Metro trains Wednesday or Thursday.
- Bags, packages and containers may be searched at Metro stations.
- There is no scheduled track work on any lines during the pope’s visit.
- Updated information will be made available online.
- D3 bus will not operate on Wednesday or Thursday.
- X2 will not go further downtown than Gallery Place from 10:30 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Thursday.
- 30N and 30S will not run between Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle from 10:30 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
- 32 and 36 only will operate from Southeast to 12th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW from 10:30 p.m. Tuesday to 2 p.m. Wednesday.
- 39 only will operate between Naylor Road and 6th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW.
- A9, P17, P19 and W13 only will run between Southeast D.C. and L’Enfant Plaza.
- X1 only will operate between Benning Road NE and 6th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW.
- The National Mall route will not operate at all on Wednesday or Thursday.
- Buses on the Union Station-Navy Yard route will detour to avoid road closures near the Capitol. Buses going to Navy Yard will take Massachusetts Avenue NW to 4th Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue SW, where it will resume its normal route. Buses going to Union Station will take Pennsylvania Avenue SW to 6th Street SW to Massachusetts Avenue NW, where it will resume its normal route.
- Buses on the Georgetown-Union Station, Potomac Avenue-Skyland and Union Station-Navy Yard routes will all operate every 15 minutes from noon to the end of the day Wednesday.
Public Works
- Street sweeping has been suspended on Wednesday and Thursday on the 200 block of East Capitol Street and the 200 to 300 blocks of Massachusetts Avenue NE.
- All other parking restrictions and street sweeping schedules will be enforced as usual.
Schools
- D.C. public schools all will be open for the entirety of the Pope’s visit. But school officials warn that road closures and crowds may affect transportation to and from school and said parents can contact the Parent Resource Center at 202-576-5000 for transportation-related questions during the pope’s visit.
- Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy will close Wednesday.
- Center City Public Charter Schools won’t hold classes Wednesday.
As more than 850,000 locals leave the D.C.-area this Labor Day weekend, residents who stay behind can look forward to a free concert at the U.S. Capitol and their last chance to go swimming before all the Capitol Hill-area public pools close for the season.
The National Symphony Orchestra will play its annual free Labor Day concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Sunday at 8 p.m. The concert will feature classic patriotic tunes, some Aaron Copland classics and several other well-known songs.
On the eastern side of the Hill, the Rosedale Pool at 1701 Gales St. NE, the last pool open in the Capitol Hill area, will be open all weekend and close for the season at 6 p.m. Monday.
Here is some other information for the holiday weekend:
- City Services: D.C. and federal government offices will be closed Monday. Trash and recycling collection will be pushed back one day for the whole week. There will be no street sweeping on Monday, but the schedule for the rest of the week will not change. Parking meters and restrictions only will be enforced in the neighborhoods surrounding Nationals Park and along the H Street NE streetcar route.
- Roads: All roads will be open throughout the weekend, as construction-related projects are ordered to take place off of streets until Tuesday.
- Riding Metro: On Monday, Metro trains and buses will operate on Sunday schedules, with scheduled work on the Red, Orange, Silver and Blue lines.
Photo via Kennedy-Center.org
Parking on the H Street corridor is about to get a little harder during the next several days.
Sections of the parking lanes on H Street NE are slated to close temporarily beginning tomorrow as part of work intended to help streetcars travel safely through the area, according to a District Department of Transportation notice.
Drivers still will be able to travel on H Street during the closures. But as crews work, drivers will lose access to the travel lanes that are next to the parking lanes.
The parking lanes closures include the parts of H Street between:
- 3rd and 14th streets NE from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow.
- 3rd and 7th streets NE from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.
- 7th and 10th streets NE from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
- 10th and 12th streets NE from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
- 12th and 14th streets NE from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
During the closures, crews will put in red striping along the parking lanes.
“The red striping is an important safety upgrade that will address the safety and operational matter of vehicles parking outside of the white line parking boundary,” the DDOT notice says. “The DC Streetcar design-build team will be adding red striping between the parking lane and existing concrete track slab to alert motorists of open-door hazards within the streetcar guideway.”
Drivers won’t be able to travel through some parts of Capitol Hill this month as crews begin to repair area streets tonight.
Sections of D Street, E Street and Delaware Avenue NE are scheduled to close during the next four weekends, according to a D.C. government alert.
Starting at 8 p.m. today, D Street between 2nd Street and Delaware Avenue NE is slated to close to traffic. The closure will block 1st Street NE at its intersection with D Street.
D Street might open by the end of the day Saturday. But the closure could run until Sunday.
“The plan is to mill the streets Friday night into Saturday morning, pave the street on Saturday, and if there is time, stripe the street. Otherwise, the striping will occur on Sunday,” the alert said. “Once the paint is dry, the street will be reopened. If weather causes delay, work will push the schedule back a weekend.”
The other closures are expected to follow the same repair schedule during the following three weekends.
Those scheduled closures are:
D Street between 1st Street NE and Louisiana Avenue NW from Aug. 14 to 16. The closure will block Delaware Avenue NE where it intersects with D Street.
E Street between Columbus Circle and North Capitol Street NE from Aug. 21 to 23.
Image via AlertDC
(Updated at 10:35 a.m.) Police have found no sign of a shooting at the Washington Navy Yard this morning after reports of an active shooter or shooters, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
By 10:15 a.m., police had finished searching the military complex, MPD said. During their search, they didn’t discover any injured people or evidence of a shooting.
Authorities responded to the scene after someone at the Navy Yard reported possible gunshots about 7:30 a.m.
M Street SE near the Navy Yard was closed during the investigation. The street has since reopened, according to a D.C. government alert.
Heavily armed officers from various federal and local agencies were on the scene. Several K-9 units also were on the ground and helicopters were flying overhead.
The incident comes less than two years after a mass shooting on the Navy Yard campus claimed the lives of 12 people.
Drivers who use I-395, H Street NW and Massachusetts Avenue NW may need to reconsider travel near the Capitol Crossing development construction during the next two months.
Massachusetts Avenue and H Street will close between 2nd and 4th streets NW starting today, every Monday and Tuesday through July, according to the District Department of Transportation. The closures will run from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Massachusetts Avenue also will lose lanes to closures on weekends, and occasionally weekdays, through July.
“Traffic delays are very likely to occur,” DDOT said.
Drivers heading north on I-395 also won’t be able to get off at Massachusetts Avenue NW for the next two weekends.
The 2nd Street NW off-ramp of I-395 to Massachusetts Avenue will close this Saturday and Sunday and next Saturday and Sunday, according to DDOT. With access to the ramp blocked, crews will demolish a retaining wall in the area as part of the Capitol Crossing development construction.
The closures will begin at 7 a.m. each of the Saturdays and end by 5 a.m. the following Mondays.
DDOT urges drivers to exit I-395 at either D Street NW or New York Avenue NW during those times.
Drivers can expect “heavy congestion and delays” in the area, according to DDOT.
Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser urged locals to be patient as crews work to build Capitol Crossing.
“We invite all of our neighbors and commuters to pardon the dust while we’re making progress,” she said.
Drivers on Capitol Hill could have a difficult time traversing the neighborhood this weekend, as runners take the streets for the Capitol Hill Classic.
The annual 10K, 3K and fun run will close several streets to traffic Sunday morning, according to the Capitol Hill Classic’s website.
Streets closed for the 10K include:
- C Street NE from 5th Street NE to 4th Street NE.
- Maryland Avenue NE from 4th Street NE to 2nd Street NE.
- Constitution Avenue NE from 2nd Street NE to 1st Street NE.
- 1st Street NE from Constitution Avenue NE to Independence Avenue SE.
- Independence Avenue SE from 1st Street SE to 3rd Street SE.
- 3rd Street SE from Independence Avenue SE to East Capitol Street SE.
- East Capitol Street SE from 3rd Street SE to 22nd Street NE.
- 22nd Street NE from East Capitol Street SE to the entrance to RFK Stadium parking lots 6 and 7.
Streets closed for the 3K include:
- 4th Street NE from C Street NE to East Capitol Street SE.
- East Capitol Street SE from 3rd Street NE to 12th Street NE.
- 3rd Street NE from East Capitol Street SE to Maryland Avenue NE.
- Maryland Avenue NE from 3rd Street NE to C Street NE.
For the fun run, 4th, 6th and N streets NE around Stanton Park will be closed.
Closures likely will start at 8 a.m. All the streets are expected to reopen by about 11:30 a.m.
The eastbound lanes of the East Capitol Street Bridge over the Anacostia River will close next week for more than two days.
Drivers looking to cross the bridge from RFK Stadium and Hill East will have to take a different route from 9 p.m. next Friday to the following Monday at 5 a.m., the District Department of Transportation announced this week.
DDOT will divert drivers on East Capitol Street to Benning Road NE to cross the Anacostia River.
The bridge, also known as the Whitney Young Bridge, will undergo bridge preservation and repair work, DDOT said.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Antony-22
Capitol Hill residents might have to move their cars tomorrow if they want to access them Saturday.
Several streets in the area will be closed to traffic for the Rock ‘n’ Roll D.C. Marathon, half marathon and 5K.
The closures in the area start as early as 6 a.m. for the races, which begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The marathon and half marathon start at Constitution Avenue NW and 14th Street NW and end at RFK Stadium Lot 7. The parking lot also is the start and finish for the 5K.
All the streets are scheduled to reopen by 2 p.m.
The organizers have more details on the closures in this map.
Photo via Competitor Group Inc.
(Updated at 9:45 a.m.) Schools are open but some roads are closed as more snow falls on Ward 6 than forecasters expected.
A WTOP weather reporter measured 3.5 inches of snow at the Capitol as of 9:30 a.m. The National Weather Service now expects 2 to 4 inches of snow to pile in the District. Only 1 or 2 inches were predicted as of yesterday afternoon.
The heaviest snowfall is expected through 11 a.m. and then should taper off. Temperatures are in the low to mid-20s, and winds are as strong as 10 mph, the NWS says.
A winter weather advisory is in effect for all of Washington. “Be prepared for snow-covered roads and limited visibilities,” the NWS says.
Road Closures:
The unit Block of Independence Avenue SE is closed between Washington Avenue SW & 1st Street SE, D.C. police said.
H Street NE between 3rd Street and North Capitol Street NE was closed earlier this morning but has since been reopened.
Transit:
Orange and Silver Lines trains headed toward Largo Town Center and New Carrollton are delayed because of a malfunction at the Rosslyn station.
Bus riders are advised to allow for additional travel time or use Metrorail as an alternative, as buses are delayed by as much as an hour. Buses being detoured because of road closures include the D6, E2, E4, G2 and L2. The E6 has been suspended. All buses are running on “moderate snow routes,” WMATA says. That means detours and increased wait times on some lines. For information on every line, see WMATA’s website.
Public Schools and Government Offices:
All public schools and government offices are open.
Police advise drivers to be cautious and maintain safe speeds and distances from other cars. Pedestrians are advised to be careful, too.
Here’s what locals reported online:
Independence Ave closed in DC and side streets of Capitol Hill are untouched @WTOP @nbcwashington @capitalweather pic.twitter.com/VbjLzilOfp
— Laura (@LBfindmystrong) January 6, 2015
Plowing on 7th!!! pic.twitter.com/BxsBDdsnZM
— Tim Krepp (@timkrepp) January 6, 2015
3.5 inches at US Capitol as of 9:30 am. @doughill, @NWS_BaltWash, @Capitalweather pic.twitter.com/dC9fKYttDV
— Mike Stinneford (@MikeSABC7wx) January 6, 2015
A little snow won't stop us! #DCStreetcar will maintain normal operations even during snowy weather. pic.twitter.com/0MEmxW7cY8
— DC Streetcar (@DCStreetcar) January 6, 2015
First snow of the year. Be safe out there. Let me know if you see problems & we'll work with city agencies to tackle them.
— Charles Allen (@CharlesAllenW6) January 6, 2015
A section of M Street SE will be closed tomorrow (Saturday) because of District Department of Transportation work.
M Street will be blocked between 8th Street and 11th Street SE tomorrow from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., DDOT announced. Crews will complete surface paving and striping on the road. Detours will be posted, DDOT said.
Red Line Metro service will be delayed by five minutes or less after 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, WMATA said.
Regular service is expected at all other stations in Ward 6, with 85 of the system’s 91 stations scheduled for regular weekend service.
