Washington DC

2 Parades in DC This Weekend Mean Major Road Closures

Two parades in one weekend is a traveler's traffic nightmare.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Emancipation Day Parade will take place this Saturday in D.C. -- and to make way for performers, bands, floats and the like, many roads will be closed for the duration of the festivities. 

Here is a list of road closures, so you know which streets to avoid: 

Avoid these roads during National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade: 

Saturday, 3 a.m.-2 p.m.:

  • Madison Drive NW from 4th to 14th Street 
  • Jefferson Drive SW from 4th to 14th Street
  • Constitution Avenue NW from 6th to 9th Street
  • 7th Street NW from Independence Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue 

Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.:

  • Virginia Avenue from E Street to Constitution Avenue
  • 21st Street NW from Virginia Avenue to Constitution Avenue
  • 19th Street NW from Constitution Avenue to E Street
  • 18th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue
  • 17th Street NW from Independence Avenue to E Street
  • 16th Street NW from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue
  • 14th Street NW from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue
  • 12th Street NW from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue
  • 10th Street NW from Constitution to Pennsylvania Avenue
  • 9th Street NW from Madison Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue
  • Constitution Avenue NW from 9th to 23rd Street

Avoid these roads during the Emancipation Day Parade: 

Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-midnight:

  • E Street NW from 13th to 14th streets 
  • Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 12th to 14th streets 
  • 13th Street NW from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue

Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.:

  • Indiana Avenue NW from 3rd to 7th Street
  • 6th Street NW from C to D Street

Saturday, 12 p.m.-2 p.m.:

  • Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 4th to 14th Street
  • All streets crossing Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 4th to 14th Street closed between Constitution Avenue and E Street

With limited parking and excessive road closures, your best bet would be to take the Metro, hop on the D.C. Circulator or use Capital Bikeshare.

To see a map of the city road closures, go here.

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