Major Security and Road Closures in Effect for US-Africa Leaders Summit

Major road closures, checkpoints and fencing are going up around the Washington Convention Center as security for the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that will be in effect until Saturday, Dec. 17.

The summit will include at least 60 leaders from African nations as well as President Joe Biden, and takes place Dec. 13 through 15. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser requested the Secret Service designate the summit as a national special security event because of the large number of world leaders gathering in one place.

Extra road and sidewalk near the U.S. Capitol closures will be in effect on Tuesday for a reception, U.S. Capitol Police said.

Portions of East Capitol and First Streets, along with Maryland and Pennsylvania Avenues, will be closed. If you have a congressional ID, you will still be able to get into and out of the area, Capitol Police said. The roads will start closing at 4 pm.

As part of the security, 8-foot, non-scalable fencing will go up around the convention center. The fencing is similar to what went up around the Supreme Court after the Roe v. Wade decision.

“There will be a hard perimeter that will be established around the convention center itself. So, there will be roadway closures, and then within that fencing, and security perimeters that will require, that if you have to enter into that, you will have to go through some level of screening,” D.C. Police Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll said.

Metro buses and trains will also be impacted. Several bus lines around the convention center will be rerouted. The Mount Vernon Metro Station will be closed beginning Monday at 5 p.m. through midnight Thursday, Dec. 15.

“This is a national special security event because of the number of dignitaries that are attending, so there will be multiple motorcades that will be moving through the city at various times,” Carroll said.

D.C. police said they have received about 10 requests for protest permits related to the summit.

President Biden also approved D.C.'s request for the National Guard's assistance during the event.

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit was also declared a national special security event the last time it was held, in 2014.

Several road closures around the convention center began Sunday. Parking restrictions began Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 10 p.m. Here’s what to expect, from D.C. police:

Road Closures

The following street will be closed to vehicle traffic from Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, at 4 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, at midnight:

• Mount Vernon Place from 7^th Street to 9^th Street, NW      

The following streets will be closed for public safety to vehicle traffic from Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, at 6 a.m. through Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, at midnight:

• 7^th Street from I Street to O Street, NW 
• 8^th Street from N Street to O Street, NW  
• 9^th Street from New York Avenue to O Street, NW  
• K Street from 6^th Street to 7^th Street, NW  
• K Street from 9^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• L Street from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• M Street from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• N Street from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• New York Avenue from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• Massachusetts Avenue from 9^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  

Emergency No Parking

The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking from Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, at 10:00 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, at midnight:

• 7^th Street from Massachusetts Avenue to O Street, NW  
•  9^th Street from H Street to O Street, NW  
• 10^th Street from New York Avenue to N Street, NW  
• 11^th Street from H Street to L Street, NW  
• 12^th Street from K Street to Massachusetts Avenue, NW  
• 12^th Street from H Street to I Street, NW  
• 13^th Street from H Street to I Street, NW  
•  H Street from 13^th Street to 14^th Street, NW  
• K Street from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• Mount Vernon Place from 7^th Street to 9^th Street, NW 
• L Street from 6^th Street to 12^th Street, NW  
• M Street from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• N Street from 6^th Street to 10^th Street, NW  
• Street from 6^th Street to 9^th Street, NW  
• New York Avenue from 6^th Street to 14^th Street, NW  
• Massachusetts Avenue from 6^th Street to 13^th Street, NW  

The complete traffic advisory can be found here.

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