Levee test to close some roads in downtown DC Wednesday

WASHINGTON - The National Park Service will close 17th Street between Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25, for a test installation of the 17th Street levee.

The annual test ensures the levee can be properly erected in case of high water, as required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which built and regulates the levee system.

Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists should avoid the closed area and plan alternate routes.

The 17th Street levee, part of the Potomac Park Levee System in downtown Washington, D.C., consists of aluminum panels between steel posts. 

In the event of high water, the structure can be assembled across 17th Street NW south of Constitution Avenue NW.

The National Park Service operates and maintains the levee.