WASHINGTON — The National Park Service and U.S. Park Police will close several roads, the Lincoln Memorial and other nearby sites for the inaugural celebration concerts, which are scheduled for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19.
Road closures
Starting at 4 a.m. Thursday, the following roads will be closed to traffic:
- Constitution Avenue (23rd Street to 15th Street)
- 23rd Street NW (Virginia Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW)
- Henry Bacon Drive NW
- Lincoln Memorial Circle
- 22nd Street NW (C Street NW to Constitution Avenue NW)
- 21st Street NW (Virginia Avenue NW to Constitution Avenue NW)
- 20th Street NW (C Street NW to Constitution Avenue NW)
- 19th Street NW (Virginia Avenue NW to Constitution Avenue NW)
- 18th Street NW (Virginia Avenue NW to Constitution Avenue NW)
- Virginia Ave NW (18th Street NW to Constitution Avenue NW)
- 17th Street NW (New York Ave NW to Independence Avenue SW)
- Independence Avenue SW (23rd Street NW to 17th Street NW)
- Daniel French Drive SW
- Ohio Drive SW (Independence Avenue SW to Inlet Bridge)
- West Basin Drive SW (Ohio Drive SW to Independence Avenue SW)
- Rock Creek Parkway (Virginia Avenue SW to Ohio Drive SW)
- Parkway Drive
- Arlington Memorial Bridge
- Theodore Roosevelt Bridge (at 10 a.m., a full closure will occur with all traffic being diverted onto the northbound Potomac River Freeway)
Site closures
The following National Park Service sites will close at 4 a.m. Thursday and reopen at 6 p.m.:
- Lincoln Memorial
- D.C. War Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- World War II Memorial
Use Metro
The public is strongly advised to use public transportation. Metro stations near the Lincoln Memorial that will remain open throughout the day include Foggy Bottom/GWU, Farragut West, Smithsonian, Federal Triangle, Farragut North and McPherson Square.
Use of the Arlington Cemetery stop is not recommended.
Visit the Metro site for more information.
Getting in
Tickets are required for special concert viewing areas. Those with tickets can enter from Henry Bacon Drive (off Constitution Avenue NW, west of 22nd).
Those without tickets can enter at the North Elm Walk and South Elm Walk, near the east end of the Reflecting Pool at the World War II Memorial. These access points will remain open until the venue has reached capacity.
All attendees are subject to a thorough security screening before entering the venue. Please allow additional time, as lines are expected to be long.
The following are prohibited at the event:
- Aerosols
- Ammunition
- Animals other than service/guide animals
- Backpacks and bags exceeding size restrictions (18 inches by 13 inches by 7 inches)
- Bicycles
- Balloons
- Coolers
- Drones and other unmanned aircraft systems
- Explosives
- Firearms
- Glass, thermal, or metal containers
- Laser pointers
- Mace/pepper spray
- Packages
- Selfie sticks
- Signs exceeding the size restrictions (20 feet x 3 feet x 1/4 inch)
- Structures
- Supports for signs and placards
- Toy guns
- Weapons of any kind
- Any other items determined to be potential safety hazards
