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Nations’s capital trying to keep crowds from cherry blossoms
As the signature cherry blossom trees go through peak bloom in the nation's capital, officials here are resorting to mass street closures to keep large crowds away. FOX 5's Melanie Alnwick reports.
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The National Guard and D.C. police will be blocking off access to Tidal Basin and the National Mall until further notice, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Mayor Bowser has directed the Metropolitan Police Department to work the the D.C. National Guard to enforce restricted access zones around Tidal Basin to ensure social distancing and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
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Pedestrian and bicycle traffic will also be restricted surrounding the National Mall.
Members of the public will not be able to enter the Jefferson Memorial or the National Mall in the area bounded by 14th Street to 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SW.
RELATED: Someone tried to climb this cherry blossom tree and now it's dead
In coordination with the National Park Service, officials will continue street closures from 7:00 a.m until 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:
- The Memorial Bridge
- Lincoln Memorial Circle
- Potomac River Freeway (all exits to Ohio Drive and Independence Avenue)
- Rock Creek Parkway/Potomac Parkway Drive between Virginia Avenue and Independence Avenue, SW (to include Ohio Drive, SW)
- Independence Avenue between Ohio Drive and 14th Street, SW
- 23rd Street between Constitution Avenue and Lincoln Memorial Circle
- Henry Bacon Drive between Constitution Avenue and Lincoln Memorial Circle
- 17th Street between Constitution Avenue, NW and Independence Avenue, SW
- 15th Street between Constitution Avenue, NW and Independence Avenue, SW
- Maine Avenue between Independence and 12th Street, SW
- All vehicular exits to East Potomac Park and West Potomac Park
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