Road closures set for DC Bike Ride weekend

The annual D.C. Bike Ride will bring thousands of cyclists to the streets of the District on Saturday and with it comes a series of extensive road and ramp closures stretching from Downtown to the bridges.

D.C. bike ride map — CLICK TO ENLARGE: Roads will begin closing around 4 a.m., including near The Wharf, Potomac Park, the Tidal Basin, and the Memorial and 14th Street bridges. Roads will reopen to traffic around 11:30 a.m. (Courtesy D.C. Bike Ride)

Closures began Friday evening, when Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue and 6th Street NW near the National Mall shut down at 6 p.m.

Those streets will remain closed until 5 p.m. Saturday.

Riders will set off Saturday at 7:30 a.m., and road closures will ripple across the city. Constitution Avenue NW, 12th Street NW, 10th Street NW and 9th Street NW will be closed as early as 3 a.m.

Expanded closures follow at 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., affecting key corridors, including 14th Street NW, Independence Avenue SW, Ohio Drive SW, Rock Creek Parkway and the Arlington Memorial Bridge.

The course also runs over the Potomac River Freeway, Whitehurst Freeway and the 14th Street Bridge HOV lanes, which will all be closed during the ride. Ramp closures on I-395 near Pentagon City, Maine Avenue SW and the 12th Street Expressway will also be in effect through the morning.

Most of the closures will last until late morning, with some streets reopening by 9:30 a.m., while others, including Independence Avenue SW and 3rd Street SW, are not expected to reopen until after noon.

Drivers are urged to avoid the route area and plan alternate travel. Metro will remain open, and event organizers encourage participants and spectators alike to use public transportation.

Here are the planned road closures, according to D.C. Bike Ride organizers.

Key road closures and times

Friday to Saturday

Pennsylvania Ave. NW (7th St. – 3rd St.) — 6 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday
Constitution Ave. NW (7th St. – 3rd St.) — 6 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday
6th St. NW (C St. – Constitution Ave.) — 6 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday

Early Saturday (3 a.m. – 10 a.m.)

Constitution Ave. NW (12th St. – 7th St.)
12th St. NW, 10th St. NW, 9th St. NW (Constitution Ave. – Pennsylvania Ave.)

Saturday morning (6 – 9:30 a.m.)

Independence Ave. SW (14th St. – 23rd St.) westbound
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23rd St. SW (Independence Ave. – Lincoln Memorial Circle)
Arlington Memorial Bridge
Rock Creek Parkway (Virginia Ave. – Ohio Dr.)
Ohio Dr. SW (23rd St. – Rock Creek Pkwy.)
Independence Ave. SW (23rd St. – W. Basin Dr.) eastbound
W. Basin Dr. SW (Independence Ave. – Ohio Dr.)

Saturday extended closures beginning around 6 a.m. and ending by 12:30 p.m.

Potomac River Freeway (Rock Creek Pkwy. – Whitehurst Fwy.) — until 10:45 a.m.
Whitehurst Freeway (westbound to Canal Rd., eastbound near Key Bridge) — until 10:30 a.m.
E St. Expressway NW (20th St. – Potomac River Fwy.) — until 10:30 a.m.
Maine Ave. SW (12th St. – Raoul Wallenberg Pl.) — until 11:30 a.m.
14th St. SW (Independence Ave. – 14th St. Bridge) — until noon
14th St. Bridge HOV lanes — until noon
Independence Ave. SW (14th St. – 3rd St.) — until 12:30 p.m.
3rd St. SW (Independence Ave. – Constitution Ave.) — until 12:30 p.m.

I-395 ramp closures (Saturday 6 a.m. – noon)

Ramp G (Pentagon City to D.C.)
Exit 2 (southbound HOV lanes at Fern St.)
Exit 3 (northbound 395/Case Memorial Bridge to Constitution Ave.) — until 11 a.m.
Exit 4B (westbound 395 to Maine Ave./12th St.)

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