Busy Saturday Brings About Street Closures

A number of public events in D.C. Saturday has made life difficult for motorists trying to get around the area.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade closed Constitution Avenue NW between 7th Street and 23rd Street, NW; 7th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Independence Avenue; and Constitution Avenue between 6th Street, NW and 9th Street, NW. However, those streets have since reopened.

The following streets were closed Friday night to accommodate the Japanese Street Festival and are due to reopen at approximately 11 p.m. Saturday:

Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th Street, NW and 14th Street, NW
13th Street, NW between Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street, NW
12th Street NW, between Constitution Avenue and E Street, NW
11th Street, NW, between Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street, NW
10th Street, NW between Constitution Avenue and E Street, NW

First Street, SE between L and K Streets will be closed until 9 p.m. Saturday for the Justin's Cafe Block Party, held in celebration of the return of Nationals baseball. In addition, motorists should expect heavy congestion in the area of Nationals Park both ahead of and following Saturday's 1:05 p.m. game against the Atlanta Braves.

11th Street, SE will be closed between M and K Streets until 10 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday due to work on the ongoing 11th Street Bridge Project. The following detours are in effect.

Northbound 11th Street traffic will be detoured via M Street SE to 8th Street SE, then onto G Street SE and back onto 11th Street north of K Street SE
Southbound 11th Street traffic will be detoured to I Street SE, then to 8th Street SE and M Street SE to get back to 11th Street south of M Street SE.

Other events that have not caused street closures, but could result in heavy traffic include:

The "K Street 5K," in which activists in $100 bill costumes plan to walk and run from Lafayette Park down K Street to the steps of the U.S. Capitol beginning at 2 p.m.
The installation of an origami mural in Navy Yards Park along New Jersey Avenue, SE will take place until 3 p.m.
A rally and march featuring 200 homeless D.C. residents will take place between 2nd Street, NW and One Judiciary Square until 2 p.m.

Traffic is also expected to be heavy Saturday evening in the area of the Verizon Center and RFK Stadium as both the Capitals and D.C. United are in action at 7 p.m. United take on the New York Red Bulls, while the Caps host the Tampa Bay Lightning.