The National Park Service said that closures along the northern sections of Beach Drive, which kicked in during the early days of the pandemic, will not end on Saturday as previously expected.
Since 2020, much of the road from Broad Branch Road NW to the Maryland state line has been closed to allow people more areas to walk, jog and bike through the park.
The Park Service said those closures will remain through at least Sept. 5.
“This extension will ensure that we maintain recreational opportunities this summer through Labor Day,” said Park Service spokesperson Chelsea Sullivan.
The extension of the closures comes as the National Park Service continues to conduct environmental studies to determine if closing much of the northern portion of the road should be permanent.
Sullivan said limited access to those sections of the road will continue for drivers until a final determination is made.
Since the move was made, some high-ranking officials including council members and D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton have been pushing the Park Service to make those closures a permanent thing.
