South Capitol Street is closed both ways at the Frederick Douglass Bridge in D.C. after a person scaled one of the bridge’s arches Friday afternoon.
D.C. police said they were on the scene of a barricade situation because of the person who reportedly walked on top of the bridge. A D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman said a high-angle technical rescue team was on the scene working with police.
WTOP Traffic reported South Capitol Street closed both ways and authorities urged people to stay away from the area. There’s a significant traffic impact due to the afternoon rush hour and a baseball game at nearby Nationals Park.
D.C. police have confirmed to the WTOP that the person on the bridge is the same person who four years ago did the same thing after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
After the same person climbed the bridge in 2022, the District Department of Transportation told news outlets that there were plans to install new permanent measures to improve safety and security at the bridge.
On Friday, a DDOT spokesman said the agency did not install the measures because “it couldn’t find anything safe that wouldn’t create issues for the bridge.”
Rachel Murray, manager of Atlas Brew Works with two locations in the area told WTOP’s Scott Gelman that this incident will “definitely impact foot traffic and customers coming in on a Friday night.”
Below is the area where the closure is underway.
WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest.
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