4th of July street closures, Metro schedules, concert schedules, - DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

INDEPENDENCE DAY TRAVEL ADVISORY

In preparation for the Independence Day holiday, The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is advising participants to please take notice of the following street closures and related advisories that will impact travel in the city on Wednesday, July 4.

Due to the extremely heavy pedestrian crowds associated with these events, motorists are encouraged to exercise extreme caution when traveling in these areas. In addition, those wishing to attend these events are encouraged to use public transportation.

July 4 Celebration Road Closures

The Metropolitan Police Department provided the following information about road closures for the Independence Day festivities that will take place in the District of Columbia on Wednesday, July 4. In conjunction with these events, there will be numerous street closures and parking restrictions that motorists should take into consideration:

A Capitol 4th – Celebration on the National Mall

No Parking Restrictions 5:00 am to 11:00 pm

3rd Street, from Independence to Constitution Avenue, NW
4th Street, from Independence to Constitution Avenue, NW
7th Street, from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
14th Street, from Independence to Constitution Avenue, NW
15th Street, from Constitution to E Street NW
17th Street, from Constitution to E Street NW
Constitution Avenue, both sides, from Pennsylvania Avenue, west to 23rd Street, NW
10th Street, NW, between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, NW
14th Street, NW, between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, NW
C Street, NW, from 17th to 18th Street (Both Sides)
Virginia Avenue, NW from Constitution Avenue to 21st Street, NW.

Streets Closed from approximately 6:00 am until approximately 11:00 pm

4th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Constitution Avenue, NW
7th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Constitution Avenue, NW
15th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Maine Avenue, SW
17th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to E Street, NW
19th Street, NW from C Street to Constitution Avenue
20th Street, NW from C Street to Constitution Avenue
21st Street, NW from C Street to Constitution Avenue
22nd Street, NW from C Street to Constitution Avenue
23rd Street, NW from Independence Avenue, SW to C Street, NW
Virginia Avenue, NW from 18th Street to 20th Street
Constitution Avenue, NW from 14th Street to 23rd Street.
Independence Avenue, SW from 14th Street to 23rd Street

Streets Closed from approximately 11:30 am until approximately 11:00 pm

14th Street from Independence Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
3rd Street from Maryland Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Streets Closed from approximately 11:30 am until approximately 3:00 pm (for the Parade)

The parade route will begin at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW and end at 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. The following streets will remain closed during the parade:

9th Street Tunnel from Pennsylvania Avenue to the SE/SW Freeway
12th Street Tunnel from the SE/SW Freeway to Pennsylvania Avenue

Motorists should be advised that the 14th Street Bridge and the Roosevelt Bridge will remain open throughout the day. Motorists are reminded that there is no parking or stopping on the bridges. Any vehicles that stop on the bridge will be immediately ticketed and towed.

National Archives July 4th Declaration of Independence Reading

From 7:30 am -11:30 am, Constitution Avenue NW, between 7th and 9th Streets will be closed for this event.

Palisades Annual July 4th Parade

The parade begins at Whitehaven Parkway and MacArthur Boulevard, NW and proceeds Northwest on MacArthur, left on Edmunds Place, left on Sherrier Place, and a right into the Palisades Recreation Center. Road closures begin at 12:00 pm and conclude at approximately 1:30 pm. MacArthur Boulevard will be closed from Reservoir Road to Arizona Avenue for this event. There will be rolling street closures during this event.

Capitol Hill July 4th Parade

The annual parade on Capitol Hill will form at 8th & I Streets, SE at 8:00 am. The parade will begin at 10:00 am and end at 12:00 pm. The parade will proceed north on 8th Street, and west on D Street, SE. to the park at 7th and D Street, SE where it will disband. There will be rolling street closures during this event.

Due to the extremely heavy pedestrian crowds associated with these events, motorists are encouraged to exercise extreme caution when traveling in these areas. In addition, those wishing to attend these events are encouraged to use public transportation.

For more information about Independence Day events on the Mall, visit www.nps.gov/foju/roadclosures.htm External Website.

For information about July 4 activities and road closures in Arlington, please visit www.arlingtonva.us External Website.

Parking Restrictions

Please note, parking throughout the area around the National Mall will be extremely limited on July 4.

DDOT has begun posting emergency no parking signs on the affected streets. Residents, workers and visitors can park at these locations until the restrictions begin, but please do not remove the temporary signs. Even if the signs are removed, the no parking restrictions will be enforced on the 4th.

Mass Transit

Residents and visitors are encouraged to take public transportation on the 4th. Metro will be adding additional service, although bus passengers should be aware some routes will be detoured. For more information visit www.metroopensdoors.com External Website.

The DC Circulator bus routes will remain the same and operate under regular weekday service hours. For more information visit www.dccirculator.com External Website.

Capital Bikeshare

On July 4, Capital Bikeshare will be providing a bike corral at the 10th St and Constitution Avenue, NW station to handle the large number of riders expected to use the system to visit the National Mall. The corral will be made available from noon to until one hour after the fireworks are over.

With the large number of road closures in the DC area on July 4, rebalancing vehicles will likely experience delays. Also, with the expected heavy use of Capital Bikeshare during the evening on Wednesday, July 4, bike availability may be an issue during the morning rush hours on Thursday, July 5. For more information visit www.capitalbikeshare.com External Website.

Operation Fast-Forward

In coordination with its regional transportation and public safety partners, DDOT will once again run "Operation Fast Forward" on July 4. This annual exercise allows the participating agencies to expedite and manage the flow of traffic after the fireworks, while they test their emergency evacuation plans.

On five select evacuation routes, traffic signals will be retimed to provide longer green lights for traffic exiting the city. The operation is slated to begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the fireworks and run for 60 minutes.

The Operation Fast Forward emergency routes are:

Northbound 7th Street, NW/Georgia Avenue F Streets, NW to Eastern Avenue
Eastbound Pennsylvania Avenue from South Capitol Street to Southern Avenue, SE
Northbound Connecticut Avenue from 17th Street, NW to Oliver Street, NW
Southbound 14th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to C Street, NW
Westbound K Street from 17th Street, NW to the Whitehurst Freeway, Canal Road, NW and the Chain Bridge, NW

Safety

DDOT and its regional partners remind pedestrians and motorists to obey all traffic laws, including crossing at designated crosswalks and following the directions of Metropolitan Police and other law enforcement personnel. DDOT will deploy Traffic Control Officers (TCOs) to assist with the flow of traffic and pedestrian movements around the Mall.

Safe Haven - Should a severe weather event such as a thunderstorm occur during the celebration on the National Mall the U.S. Federal Protection Agency will open selected federal buildings for the sole purpose of allowing people to seek shelter. In the event that Safe Haven is implemented information will be broadcasted through public address systems and deployable mass notification units.

Tips for Motorists:

Always obey the directions of police officers and TCOs at intersections.
When leaving parking garages or lots near the Mall after the fireworks, be prepared to stop and yield to people on the sidewalk. They have the right of way and there will be many of them.
Drive slowly and cautiously on streets near the Mall after the fireworks. The sidewalks are not large enough to accommodate the number of pedestrians exiting the Mall and people will be walking in the street for several blocks in near the Mall.
Remember that drivers turning right or left at intersections must stop and give right of way to pedestrians legally in the crosswalk. Under DC Law, failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk is punishable by up to a $250 fine and 3 points on your license.

Tips for Pedestrians:

Always obey the directions of police officers and TCOs at intersections.
Wait for the Walk signal and watch for turning vehicles.
Obey the pedestrian signals rather than the vehicle signals. There may be a turn arrow for drivers.
Cross at signal controlled intersections whenever possible.

METRO JULY 4 SERVICE INFORMATION

Metro will provide extra rail service on Wednesday, July 4, for the benefit of customers attending holiday festivities on the National Mall and the Washington Nationals day game.

On the holiday, Metrorail service will operate from 7 a.m. to midnight, with near rush-hour service levels from 6 p.m. to midnight. There will be no scheduled track work anywhere on the system.

Due to expected crowding, customers are urged to use stations other than Smithsonian or Federal Triangle. Unlike past years, Smithsonian Station will remain open throughout the day. However, the station will be "entry-only" at the conclusion of the fireworks display.

Rather than using Smithsonian or Federal Triangle, customers traveling to/from the National Mall should consider traveling to and from:

• Foggy Bottom-GWU
• Metro Center
• Archives
• Gallery Place
• Judiciary Square
• Union Station
• L'Enfant Plaza
• Capitol South (Note: The elevator at Capitol South is out of service for a major rehabilitation project. Customers needing elevator service should use a different station.)
• Federal Center SW
• Arlington Cemetery

In particular, customers on the Green and Yellow lines should consider walking from L'Enfant Plaza, rather than transferring between lines. L'Enfant Plaza Station is a short walk from the National Mall. Red Line customers should consider using Metro Center, Gallery Place, Judiciary Square or Union Station.

Metro expects to carry more than 500,000 passengers on Independence Day, with crowded trains leading up to the scheduled 9:10 p.m. fireworks display on the Mall

Metrorail Service

• Metrorail will open at 7 a.m. and close at midnight. Check your station information page for last train departure times.
• Trains will operate on a Saturday schedule for most of the day, ramping up to near rush-hour service levels in the evening hours. Trains will operate on a regular service pattern; Rush+ will not be in effect.
• Smithsonian Station will be available for entry-only following the fireworks display.
• To provide adequate capacity, Metro will operate a combination of six and eight-car trains on most rail lines. Customers should check platform displays and spread out along the platform to use all available cars. An eight-car train will take up the entire length of the platform.
• Escalators at many downtown Metro stations will be intentionally turned off to help meter the flow of customers entering the system.
• Beginning at 2 p.m., every other Orange Line train traveling in the direction of New Carrollton will terminate at Stadium-Armory and return to Vienna.
• Beginning at 6 p.m., all Yellow Line trains will operate between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square stations only.
• Beginning at 6 p.m., trains will depart every eight minutes from the end of each rail line and trains will depart every four minutes from Shady Grove and Vienna stations. Trains will operate about every four minutes in the downtown core of Washington.
• Parking will be free at all Metrorail stations.
• Due to capacity constraints, bicycles will not be permitted within the Metrorail system.

Fare Information

• To avoid potentially long lines at fare vending machines following the fireworks, all Metro riders are encouraged to purchase either a One-Day Pass ($14) or ensure that they have enough fare value on their SmarTrip card or paper farecard to complete their entire round trip. Each customer must have their own fare card, SmarTrip card or One-Day Pass.
• Effective July 1, there is a $1 surcharge per trip when using a paper farecard. Customers are encouraged to buy a SmarTrip card in advance. SmarTrip cards can be purchased in advance at selected stations, CVS, Giant Food, Metro Sales offices, regional transit stores or on the web at smartrip.com.  The $1 surcharge does not apply to One-Day Passes.
• By purchasing a One-Day Pass for $14, a customer can take unlimited trips on Metrorail throughout the day.
• To determine your fare, use Metro's Trip Planner and use July 4 as your travel date. Remember to load your card with twice this amount for a round trip.
• Off-peak fares will be in effect all day.

Important Travel Tips

• Travel light. Customers are discouraged from bringing large coolers or other bulky items aboard trains.
• Avoid using Federal Triangle or Smithsonian stations, if possible. Instead, consider using other stations within walking distance of the National Mall. After the fireworks, return to the same station.
• Plan your trip to avoid transferring between rail lines at Metro Center, Gallery Place or L'Enfant Plaza. All rail lines provide service within walking distance of the National Mall.
• As a reminder, smoking, eating and drinking are prohibited within Metrorail stations or aboard trains.
• If traveling with a stroller, use the elevator, not the escalators. If the elevator is out of service, fold the stroller and take children by the hand.
• Always stand back from the platform edge for your safety.
• Do not hold the train doors. They do not operate like elevator doors.
• When boarding the train, step all the way into the car to make room for passengers boarding behind you.
• On Metrorail, it is customary for riders to stand to the right while using escalators.
• Because many escalators at downtown stations will be intentionally turned off for crowd control, please give priority use of the elevators to customers with disabilities.

Safety and Security

• Metro Transit Police will be visible throughout the system to ensure the customer safety and security.
• Customers are encouraged to report any suspicious behavior, unusual activity or unattended items to any uniformed Metro employee or police officer, or by calling Metro Transit Police at 202-962-2121.
• As a reminder, any bags or packages brought onto the Metrorail system may be subject to random inspection by Metro Transit Police.

Metrobus Service

• On July 4, Metrobus will operate on a Saturday schedule.
• Due to street closures near the National Mall and at various locations throughout the region, riders can expect numerous bus routes to be detoured. For more information and updates on specific detours, sign up for MetroAlerts at wmata.com/metroalerts.
• Due to the many short-term bus detours, NextBus, Metro's automated bus arrival information service may not be able to reflect changes in detoured July 4 bus service.

MetroAccess Service

• MetroAccess will operate on a regular schedule on Wednesday, July 4. However, all subscription trips will be cancelled. Customers who wish to travel on July 4 will need to call MetroAccess reservations or visit Metro's website to book their trips prior to 4:30 pm on Tuesday, July 3.
• To the extent allowable by road closures, MetroAccess will provide regular service after the fireworks. Customers planning to attend July 4th events on the National Mall and in the downtown area should expect traffic congestion and delays.

Customer Assistance

• More than 80 Metro administrative staff will provide additional customer assistance throughout the system.
• The Metro Information Call Center will be open from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Lost & Found and customer relations will be closed.
• Customers needing travel information are encouraged to visit wmata.com.

JULY 4TH CONCERT ON THE WEST LAWN OF THE U.S. CAPITOL

Concert & Rehearsal Info
On Wednesday, July 4, 2012, 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the Capitol Fourth Concert will be broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. There will be a full concert dress rehearsal for this event on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Both the rehearsal and the concert are free and no tickets are required. On both days, gates will open to the public at 3:00 pm.

Public Access, Mobility Impaired Info & Traveling Tips

All public entry points will be wheelchair accessible. Mobility impaired guests and their party will be accommodated at any public entrance, and can park along the south curb of Constitution Avenue between First Street & Third Street, NW. You may enter the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol from:

North Side

First Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW

Third Street, NW and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

South Side

First Street, SW and Independence Avenue, SW

Third Street, SW and Maryland Avenue, SW

Parking in the immediate area of the U.S. Capitol is extremely limited. Please visit www.wmata.com </exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.wmata.com/> to help plan your trip using public transportation.

Prohibited Items & Security Measures

The U.S. Capitol Police along with event and production staff closely monitor weather conditions. Any changes to the schedule of events based on adverse weather conditions will be announced to the general public. If an evacuation occurs due to inclement weather, please follow the directions of the U.S. Capitol Police.

Additional security measures will be in place to ensure the safety and security of those in attendance. Anyone attending events on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol must adhere to security screening procedures before entering the event site. This will include an administrative search of all bags, coolers, backpacks, and closed containers.

For this event, food items are permitted. You are strongly encouraged to bring your own supply of water. However, alcoholic beverages of any kind and glass bottles are prohibited. In addition to any other items determined to be prohibited at the discretion of the U.S. Capitol Police, the following items are prohibited:

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

ANIMALS (OTHER THAN SERVICE ANIMALS)

BICYCLES

FIREARMS & AMMUNITIONS (EITHER REAL OR SIMULATED)

EXPLOSIVES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING FIREWORKS)

KNIVES, BLADES OR SHARP OBJECTS (OF ANY LENGTH)

LASER POINTERS, SIGNS, POSTERS

MACE, PEPPER SPRAY, STICKS & POLES

ELECTRIC STUN GUNS

MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS OR DEVICES

OVERSIZED UMBRELLAS (RADIUS > 36" WHEN OPEN)

POCKET OR HAND TOOLS SUCH AS "LEATHERMAN"

SEALED PACKAGES, LARGE BOXES, DUFFLE BAGS, SUITCASES

Tour Bus Rerouting

Area tour buses will be rerouted from First Street between Constitution Avenue, NW and Independence Avenue, SW to Third Street, between Constitution Avenue, NW and Independence Avenue, SW for passenger drop off and pick up on Monday, July 2; Tuesday, July 3; and Wednesday, July 4.

Street Closures

Temporary street closures will begin on Monday, July 1 at 1:00 am through Thursday, July 5 at 4:00 am:

First Street between Independence Avenue, SW and Constitution Avenue, NW

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW between First Street, NW and Third Street, NW

Maryland Avenue between First Street, SW and Third Street, SW

First Street NW/SW between Garfield Circle and Peace Circle will remain closed through Saturday, July 7 at 5:00 am.