Washington, D.C

Road closures: Cherry Blossom races shut down Downtown DC this Saturday – WTOP News

Published

1 year ago

April 3, 2025

Road closures: Cherry Blossom races shut down Downtown DC this Saturday – WTOP News

Road closures from the annual Cherry Blossom races will shut down tourist hot spots in the District this weekend.

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Races are put on by a consortium of credit unions that have donated nearly $9 million to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals since 2002. The 5K on Saturday and 10-miler on Sunday mark the 52nd anniversary of the races.

The races draw over 20,000 participants and spectators every year.

The 5K race will start and end on Pennsylvania Avenue and 12th Street NW in Downtown D.C., heading down Pennsylvania Avenue and cutting around multiple museums and federal buildings.

The 10-miler starts and finishes at the Washington Monument, curling down Independence Avenue SW, along the Kennedy Center, across the Arlington Memorial Bridge and back along the Tidal Basin.

Metrorail will open two hours early on Sunday so race day participants of the 10-mile run can make the race’s 7:30 a.m. start time.

The road closures for both events are outlined below.

Road closures

The 5K race starts at 9:15 a.m. Saturday. Long stretches along Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 14th streets will likely be blocked off to vehicles.

The Tidal Basin will remain open to pedestrian traffic, but use alternative modes of transportation to see the cherry blossoms as it’ll be difficult to drive and park.

The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic and posted as Emergency No Parking on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Petalpalooza event:

3rd Street from Tingey Street to Water Street SE
4th Street from Tingey Street to Water Street SE
4th Street from M Street to Tingey Street SE (southbound only)
Water Street from 3rd Street to Tingey Street SE

The following streets will be closed to vehicle parking on Saturday from 2 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to 9th Street NW
3rd Street from C Street NW to D Street SW
Independence Avenue from 3rd Street to 7th Street SW
4th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to D Street SW
D Street from 3rd Street to 4th Street SW

The following streets will be closed completely on Saturday from 2 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.:

Pennsylvania Avenue from 9th Street to 14th Street NW
13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
12th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW

The following streets will be closed completely on Saturday from 8:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.:

Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to 9th Street NW
9th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue NW
D Street from 8th Street to 9th Street NW
7th Street from Indiana Avenue to Constitution Avenue NW
6th Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue NW
Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to 7th Street NW
Independence Avenue from Washington Avenue to 7th Street SW
4th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to D Street SW
D Street from 3rd Street to 4th Street SW
6th Street from Independence Avenue to Maryland Avenue SW
3rd Street from C Street, NW to Virginia Avenue SW

The following streets will be closed on Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.:

Ohio Drive around East Potomac Park
Arlington Memorial Bridge
Rock Creek Parkway to Virginia Avenue
West and East Basin Drives

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Washington, D.C

About 120 Iowa National Guard soldiers leave today for D.C. deployment – Radio Iowa

Published

7 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Dozens of Iowa National Guard soldiers leaving Iowa today will spend the next six months serving in Washington, D.C..

Last August, President Trump issued an executive order declaring there was an epidemic of crime in the nation’s capitol and he immediately mobilized National Guard troops from the District of Columbia. The Pentagon then started asking state guard units to deploy to D.C. and made a request of Governor Kim Reynolds last year. “They asked earlier and I said no because we had one of the largest deployments that we’ve had for a long, long time and I just felt we were stretched pretty thin,” Reynolds said.

In May of last year, nearly 2000 Iowa National Guard soldiers were deployed to the Middle East. The final group of those soldiers returned to Iowa last month. Reynolds said the Pentagon “circled back” recently and asked her to send a group of Iowa Guard soldiers to D.C. and she’s deployed 120 Iowa Guard soldiers to D.C. “to ensure the safety and security” of people who are in the nation’s capitol, “especially with everything that’s going on with the 250th birthday of our country,” Reynolds said, “and so we were able to participate and do our share.”

Reynolds told reporters the federal government will pay the entire cost of the deployment. Reynolds will speak this morning at a private send off ceremony for the Iowa Guard soldiers before they leave for D.C. There were over 5000 National Guard troops in Washington this past Sunday, including 185 from Nebraska and over 100 from Minnesota.

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Washington, D.C

Why Gov. Kim Reynolds turned down previous request to send National Guard to D.C.

Published

17 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Why Gov. Kim Reynolds turned down previous request to send National Guard to D.C.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — One hundred and twenty members of the Iowa National Guard are leaving Friday for Washington, D.C., where they will assist with security measures and America 250 celebrations at the request of the Trump administration.

Reynolds initially said no

Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had previously declined the Trump administration’s request, citing the strain of one of the state’s largest recent deployments.

“They asked earlier, and I said no because we had one of the largest deployments that we’ve had for a long, long time and I just felt that we were stretched pretty thin,” Reynolds said.

Nearly 2,000 Iowa National Guard members had spent a year or more deployed to the Middle East. Those soldiers have since returned home.

Guard members now available following Middle East return

With those troops back, Reynolds said Iowa was in a position to fulfill the president’s request.

“We have them all back. They circled back, especially with everything that’s going on with the 250th uh birthday uh of our country. And so we were able to participate and do our share,” Reynolds said.

Different states have sent National Guard members to Washington, D.C., since last August.

Reynolds said the federal government will pay the costs of Iowa’s deployment to Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

Published

1 day ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

WASHINGTON – Metro riders are seeing changes Thursday morning as WMATA adjusts its shuttle bus system following concerns about long lines and confusion tied to the Red Line summer shutdown.

Express shuttles to North Bethesda will now only pick up on Wisconsin Avenue near the Trader Joe’s. Local shuttles serving Bethesda, Medical Center and Grosvenor have been moved to the Friendship Heights Metro station, while some regular Metrobus routes are picking up on Western Avenue.

Red Line Shuttle Service Updates

• Local shuttle boarding will be relocated to Bus Bay K – the current C83/D96 bus stop on Wisconsin Ave.
• C83 and D96 buses will be relocated to the bus shelter on Western Ave near Wisconsin Ave.
• Express shuttle boarding will remain in the 5300 block of Wisconsin Ave NW.

What we know:

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick says Red Line riders say the shutdown has added time to their commute, though many are trying to stay positive. The shuttles connect North Bethesda and Friendship Heights through September 6, when Purple Line construction is expected to wrap up.

Metro Red Line summer shutdown leads to long shuttle lines

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

The workaround relies on dedicated shuttle bus lanes along northbound and southbound Wisconsin Avenue/355 and up to Rockville Pike. But truck drivers, delivery drivers and passenger vehicles have been stopping or parking in those lanes, forcing shuttles to go around and slowing traffic.

Metro and Montgomery County police have increased enforcement to keep the lanes clear. Metro Transit Police say they asked more than 60 drivers to move out of the bus lanes in the first days of the shutdown.

Metro is also adding about 100 parking spaces at Friendship Heights in the former Lord & Taylor garage. Some Montgomery County riders are opting for the MARC train downtown instead.

Metro’s Red Line shutdown is now in full effect: Here’s what you need to know