Safety concerns have led to the removal of some bike racks near the Supreme Court.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton called for the change earlier this week.
In a letter to Supreme Court marshal Gail Curley, Norton laid out safety concerns supporting her request to remove bike racks from around the Supreme Court grounds, saying that bike racks “serve no security purpose” and that they force District of Columbia residents, workers and visitors to use the street, creating a safety hazard.
“I remind you that the Supreme Court grounds do not exist in a vacuum,” Norton wrote. “They are surrounded by a residential neighborhood, and the grounds were widely used before the anti-climb fencing was installed.”
The court marshal responded, saying the bike racks along Constitution Avenue between Maryland Avenue and Second street NE have been removed and all others will be gone by the weekend.
“I will be watching to ensure the remaining bike racks are removed this weekend,” Norton said.
Norton said she’d also like to see the anti-climbing fence taken down once there is no longer a security concern.
The letter from Supreme Court marshal Gail Curley said that the anti-climb fencing was installed pursuant to Supreme Court regulation in order “to protect persons and property and to maintain order on the Supreme Court grounds. We will continue to assess the need for this security measure and will remove the fencing when it is no longer necessary,” the letter to Norton said.
