Shutdown: Where Not to Drive During Triathlon

Don't try to compete with athletes for the roads

If you like to drive around DC and you're not an early riser, you're in luck Sunday.

The fourth annual Nation's Triathlon starts at 7 a.m., and several streets have been closed for the event, which includes a 1.5K swim in the Potomac River, a 40K bike ride through downtown D.C., and a 10K run around the monuments of our lovely city.

To avoid trying to compete with the athletes for the roads, here's a list of which streets will be closed, as well as alternate routes that can be used during the event:

  • Canal Rd. at Arizona Ave., northwest will be closed to all traffic. There will be no alternate to travel on Canal Rd.
  • Arizona Ave. at MacArthur Blvd. will be open for local residents only.
  • Southbound on MacArthur Blvd. at Reservoir Rd will be open for local residents only. (Alternate route to Georgetown will be eastbound Reservoir Rd. to southbound Wisconsin Ave.)
  • Southbound on Foxhall Rd. at Reservoir Rd. will be open for local residents only. (Alternate route to Georgetown will be eastbound Reservoir Rd. to southbound Wisconsin Ave.)
  • Foxhall Rd towards Eastbound Canal Rd. will be closed to all traffic. (Alternate route to Georgetown will be north on Foxhall Rd. or north on MacArthur Blvd. to east on Reservoir Rd. to south on Wisconsin Ave.)
  • Ramp for Westbound 395 toward Maine Ave. will be closed to traffic. (Alternate routes will be 14th St Bridge, 9th & 12th Street Tunnels).
  • Potomac River Freeway will be closed to traffic. (Alternate routes will be 23rd St, Constitution Ave., and Virginia Ave.)  
  • Westbound M Street, NW at Wisconsin Ave., northwest to the Whitehurst Freeway will be closed. (To go east on M Street, alternate routes will be Prospect St. to any south street to M Street).

Roads will be closed and managed by U.S. Park Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police.

Key Bridge and Chain Bridge are scheduled* to be open, but using them will be a challenge because of the road closures, says to Dr. Gridlock, who also provided this handy link to the triathlon course.

If you decide to use Metro to get in, add 20 minutes to your travel time on the Red Line between Medical Center and Grosvenor, 20 minutes on the Orange Line between East Falls Church and Ballston, and 20 minutes on the Green Line between Greenbelt and College Park.

*If we see cranky cop at Chain Bridge, we will not be happy. 
 

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