Road closures in DC for annual March for Life on Friday

Thousands of people opposed to abortion will gather in the nation’s capital Friday for the 53rd annual March for Life, commemorating the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling which legalized abortion in all 50 states.

With the March for Life — as with most large events on and near the National Mall — comes traffic and parking restrictions.

While the Supreme Court’s 2023 Dobbs decision determined the U.S. Constitution doesn’t confer a right to abortion, and returned authority to regulate abortion to individual states, organizers of the March for Life say they will continue to gather each January to reduce the number of abortions.

The day’s public events will begin at 11 a.m. with a concert on the National Mall at a stage located near 8th Street NW. According to organizers, all rallygoers will be required to go through screening, similar to what one would expect at an airport.

At noon, rally speakers will include Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

At approximately 1 p.m., demonstrators are expected to start marching along Constitution, Pennsylvania, and Independence Avenues, past the U.S. Capitol, ending in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

How will the march impact DC roads

According to D.C. police, “emergency no parking” restrictions are in place from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., in an area stretching from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court, located on 1st St. NE.

In addition, streets crossing the Mall will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the 12th Street Tunnel and 9th Street Tunnel will be closed to vehicular traffic.

D.C. police said drivers may want to consider an alternative route as they may face delays in areas along the march route.

Meanwhile, there will be separate road closures in place Friday afternoon for the funeral procession honoring D.C. police officer Terry Bennett, who was fatally struck by a car while helping a stranded motorist in late December.

For the march, D.C. police said the following streets will be posted as emergency no parking from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

Constitution Avenue from 14th Street to 3rd Street NW
Pennsylvania Avenue from 7th Street to 3rd Street NW
14th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Independence Avenue SW
12th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Madison Drive NW
10th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
9th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
7th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
6th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
4th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
3rd Street from Indiana Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
Madison Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street NW
Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street SW

The following streets will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

Constitution Avenue from 14th Street to 3rd Street, NE
Pennsylvania Avenue from 7th Street NW to 3rd Street NW
12th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Madison Drive NW
12th Street Tunnel
10th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
9th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
9th Street Tunnel
7th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
6th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
4th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
3rd Street from Indiana Avenue NW to C Street, SW
Madison Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street NW
Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street SW
Independence Avenue SW from 4th Street, SW to 2nd Street SE

For public safety, police said 14th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW may be closed to vehicle traffic from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.

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