The National Park Service will celebrate Independence Day with a big fireworks show and celebration on the National Mall, which means a bunch of roads will be shut down on Monday. If you already dread navigating DC’s complicated roads, you should try to avoid driving to or along the Mall.
The area surrounding the Mall will be blocked off to all vehicles from 6 AM on Sunday, July 4, until about midnight on Monday, July 5. Fortunately, the Metro will run on a regular weekday schedule on all lines. Every station will be open until midnight, except for the Arlington Cemetery Station, which will remain open until 11 PM. Be aware that the Foggy Bottom Station and the National Mall entrance at the Smithsonian Station will be entry-only after 9 PM. Regardless if you plan on going down to the Mall or not, there are plenty of sweet spots where you can catch the show.
Here’s a map and full list of street closures from the National Park Service:
These streets will be closed and off limits to vehicles from 6 AM to around 10 PM on Monday, July 4 (marked in red):
- Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington Memorial Circle on the Virginia end, to and including Lincoln Memorial Circle
- Rock Creek Parkway south of Virginia Avenue NW to Lincoln Memorial Circle, including all approaches and ramps
- Parkway Drive from Rock Creek Parkway to Lincoln Memorial Circle
- Henry Bacon Drive NW
- Daniel French Drive SW
- Lincoln Memorial Circle and approaches and ramps into and out of Lincoln Memorial Circle, including Henry Bacon Drive NW, French Drive SW, 23rd Street NW, and 23rd Street SW
- Ramp from Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge to Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW and Ohio Drive SW; all inbound traffic from the bridge will be directed to the E Street Expressway
- Constitution Avenue NW from 23rd Street NW to 14 Street NW
- 7th Street NW from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
- 4th Street NW from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
- 15th Street NW from E Street NW south to Raoul Wallenberg Place SW
- 17th Street NW from E Street NW south to Independence Avenue SW
- 18th Street NW between Constitution Avenue NW to C Street NW
- 19th Street NW between Constitution Avenue NW to C Street NW
- 20th Street NW between Constitution Avenue NW to C Street NW
- 21st Street NW between Constitution Avenue NW to C Street NW
- 22nd Street NW between Constitution Avenue NW to C Street NW
- Virginia Avenue NW from Constitution Avenue NW to 18th Street NW
- C Street NW from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- D Street NW from 17th Street NW to 18th Street NW
- Raoul Wallenberg Place SW to Maine Avenue SW
- Independence Avenue SW from 14th Street SW to 23rd Street SW, including merge with Rock Creek Parkway
- Madison Drive NW from 15th Street NW to 3rd Street NW
- Jefferson Drive SW from 15th Street SW to 3rd Street SW
- Ohio Drive SW from the Inlet Bridge to Independence Avenue SW
- West Basin Drive SW from Ohio Drive SW to Independence Avenue SW
- East Basin Drive SW east of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial to Ohio Drive SW
- Ramp from southbound and northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway to Memorial Avenue/Circle
- Ramp from northbound Va. Route 110 to Memorial Avenue/Circle
- Ramp from Va. Route 27 to Memorial Avenue/Circle
- The right lane of northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway from the 14th Street Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island
These streets will be closed and off limits to vehicles from 11 AM to around 10 PM on Monday, July 4 (marked in orange):
- 3rd Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Maryland Avenue SW
- Constitution Avenue NW from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to 14 Street NW
- 14th Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
These streets will be closed and off limits to vehicles from 3 PM to around midnight on Monday, July 4 (marked in blue):
- Eastbound US Route 50 ramps to George Washington Memorial Parkway and roads in the immediate area of the US Marine Corps War Memorial
- Southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway ramp to 14th Street Bridge (9 PM-9:45 PM as necessary)
- Northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway ramp to 14th Street Bridge (9 PM-9:45 PM as necessary)
The National Park Service has also released a map of areas along the Mall where spectators can access and watch the fireworks show, as well as areas that are restricted to the public.
Map of July 4th Events Areas (2022). Courtesy of the National Park Service.
The following areas are restricted to visitors:
- The World War II Memorial will close at 4 PM as part of the fireworks safety zone. Cleanup of the World War II Memorial will begin immediately following the fireworks show and the site will open as soon as the cleanup is complete.
- Access to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial will be limited after 8 PM. The memorial will remain open, but the public will not be able to access the memorial from Independence Avenue after 8 PM. Access will be available from West Basin Drive and Ohio Drive.
- The Washington Monument will be closed from noon on July 3 until 9 AM on July 6.
- Paddle boats at the Tidal Basin will not operate.
- Big Bus Tours will not operate on the National Mall on July 4.
- The DC Circulator’s National Mall route will not operate on July 4.
- East Potomac Golf Course will remain open for normal operating hours.
- East Potomac Tennis Center will close at 3 PM.
- Water taxi service to the National Mall will not operate.
Before becoming Research Editor, Damare Baker was an Editorial Fellow and Assistant Editor for Washingtonian. She has previously written for Voice of America and The Hill. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied international relations, Korean, and journalism.
