Watch it live on WTOP.com: “A Capitol Fourth”- the star-spangled concert on the National Mall followed by an Independence Day fireworks show. The dazzling lineup starts 8 p.m. on Friday, July 4.
Ringing in the Fourth of July in D.C. is a lot more fun once you’re at your destination, and if it’s the National Mall, driving there will be nearly impossible.
Road closures will make life difficult for drivers in and around Downtown, and officials are urging people to use public transportation, and making it easier to do so.
The closures span from Arlington to D.C., and anyone with plans to celebrate America’s big day should plan accordingly to the following changes.
Closures for National Mall celebration
The roads below will be shut down Friday to all vehicle traffic starting at 4 a.m. and lasting until around midnight, according to the National Park Service.
- Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington Memorial Circle, 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 from Constitution Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Circle, NW
- Daniel Chest French Drive SW from Independence Ave SW to Lincoln Memorial Circle
- Lincoln Memorial Circle and all approaches and ramps into and out of Lincoln Memorial Circle, including Henry Bacon Drive NW, Daniel Chester 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 15th St NW
- 23rd St SW from Independence Ave SW to Lincoln Memorial Circle and Constitution Ave to Lincoln Memorial Circle
- 17th St NW from Constitution Ave NW to Independence Ave SW
- Homefront Drive SW
- 15th Street NW from Constitution Ave NW to Independence Ave SW
- 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
- Ohio Drive SW from 23rd St SW to Inlet Bridge
- Madison Drive NW from 15th Street NW to 3rd Street NW
- Jefferson Drive SW from 15th Street SW to 3rd Street SW
- East Basin Drive SW east of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial to Ohio Drive SW
- West Basin Drive SW from Ohio Drive SW to Independence Avenue, SW
- Ramp from southbound and northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) 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
- Access to East Potomac Park from I-395 will be by National Park Service permit only after 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, D.C. police has posted the following road closures for the same time period.
- Inbound Case Bridge ramp to 12th Street tunnel
- Jefferson Drive from 15th to 3rd Street SW
- Madison Drive from 15th to 3rd Street NW
- Independence Avenue from 14th Street to Ohio Drive SW
- C Street from 21st to Virginia Avenue NW
- C Street from 18th to 17th Street NW
- D Street from 18th to 17th Street NW
- E Street from 20th to 17th Street NW (eastbound lanes only)
- 10th Street from Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 12th Street from Madison Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 1200 block of Maine Avenue SW
- 14th Street Bridge Inbound SW (All traffic will remain on eastbound I-395)
- 14th Street Bridge (HOV) Inbound, SW (All traffic will remain on eastbound I-395)
- 15th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
- 17th Street from New York Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
- 18th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 19th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 20th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 21st Street from Constitution Avenue NW to E Street NW
- 23rd Street from Virginia Avenue to Memorial Bridge
- Constitution Avenue from Pennsylvania Avenue to 23rd Street NW
- Virginia Avenue from Constitution Avenue, NW to 24th Street NW
- Maine Avenue from I-395 westbound to Independence Avenue SW
- Southbound Potomac River Freeway exits to Independence Avenue and E Street NW
- Theodore Roosevelt Bridge ramp to Constitution Avenue NW
- Theodore Roosevelt Bridge ramp to Ohio Drive NW
- Eastbound E Street Expressway ramp to E Street NW
- E Street Expressway ramp from the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
- Arlington Memorial Bridge
- Southbound Rock Creek Parkway will be closed at Virginia Avenue NW
- Ohio Drive from Independence Avenue to the Ohio Drive Bridge
- Parkway Drive from Ohio Drive to Lincoln Memorial Circle NW
- West Basin Drive from Independence Avenue to Ohio Drive SW
The following roads will be closed at varying times in the afternoon and evening Friday, according to the National Park Service.
- Eastbound U.S. Route 50 ramps to the George Washington Memorial Parkway and roads in the immediate area of U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (3 p.m. until midnight)
- Southbound GWMP ramp to 14th Street Bridge (8 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., as necessary)
- Northbound GWMP ramp to 14th Street Bridge (8 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., as necessary)
D.C. police announced the roads below would be closed Friday from 1 p.m. to midnight.
- 23rd Street from Virginia Avenue to Washington Circle, NW — no southbound traffic
- 3rd Street from D Street, NW to Independence Avenue, SW
Meanwhile, Arlington police said the following roads would be closed from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Marshall Drive, from Route 110 to N Meade Street
- N Meade Street, from Marshall Drive to N Fairfax Drive (access to the Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood will be from the Rhodes Street bridge — local traffic only)
- Exit ramp from westbound Route 50 to N Lynn Street (Rosslyn exit)
- Exit ramp from eastbound Route 50 to N Meade Street (Rosslyn exit)
- Eastbound N Fairfax Drive, from N Pierce Street to N Fort Myer Drive
And from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fort Myer Drive between 19th Street N and Arlington Boulevard will be closed, according to Arlington police.
The following streets will be posted as emergency no parking for the National Independence Day Parade from 4 a.m. to midnight, D.C. police said.
- Pennsylvania Avenue from Constitution Avenue to 3rd Street NW
- 3rd Street from Independence Avenue SW to Constitution Avenue NW
- 4th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 6th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 7th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 9th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 10th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 12th Street from Madison Drive NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 15th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 17th Street from Independence Avenue SW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- 18th Street from Constitution Avenue to E Street NW
- 19th Street from Constitution Avenue to E Street NW
- 20th Street from Virginia Avenue, NW to E Street NW
- 20th Street from C Street NW to Constitution Avenue NW
- 21st Street from Constitution Avenue to E Street NW
- 22nd Street from Constitution Avenue to C Street NW
- 23rd Street from Constitution Avenue to E Street NW
- C Street from 21st to Virginia Avenue NW
- C Street from 19th to 17th Street NW
- D Street from 18th to 17th Street NW
- E Street from 20th to 17th Street NW (east bound lanes only)
- Virginia Avenue from 23rd Street to Constitution Avenue NW
- Constitution Avenue from 23rd Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- Ohio Drive from Independence Avenue to Ohio Drive Bridge
- Parkway Drive NW from Ohio Drive SW to Lincoln Memorial Circle NW (Zone 5850)
- Jefferson Drive from 15th to 3rd Street NW
- Madison Drive from 15th to 3rd Street SW
- Independence Avenue from 17th Street to 3rd Street SW
- Maryland Avenue from Independence Avenue to 3rd Street SW
CNN/USAF Band Fourth of July Celebration
From Wednesday, July 2, from 7 p.m. through Saturday, July 5, 3 p.m., the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking and closed to vehicle traffic:
- 13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street to 12th Street NW
Palisades Parade restrictions
The following streets will be closed for the Palisades Parade from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., according to D.C. police.
- MacArthur Boulevard from Whitehaven Parkway to Arizona Avenue NW
- Edmunds Place from Sherier Place to MacArthur Boulevard NW
- Sherier Place from Edmunds Place to Dana Place NW
Emergency no parking restrictions will be in effect at the following locations for the Palisades Parade from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., D.C. police said.
- MacArthur Boulevard from Whitehaven Parkway to Arizona Avenue NW
- Edmunds from MacArthur Boulevard to Sherier Place NW
- Whitehaven Parkway from MacArthur Boulevard to Foxhall Road NW
Barracks Row Parade restrictions
The following roads will be closed and posted as emergency no parking for the Barracks Row Parade from 8 a.m. to noon, according to D.C. police.
- 8th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Virginia Avenue SE
- D Street from 7th Street to 8th Street SE
Metro adjusts schedule, announces free fares
Starting at 5 p.m. Friday, fares will be free on Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess. Parking will also be free all day Friday at Metro-owned garages and lots.
The transit agency is also ramping up service to rush hour levels during the afternoon. Trains on the Red Line will run every 6 minutes until 5 p.m., and every 5 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., trains will run every 10 minutes.
“We expect July 4 to be an a very, very busy day here at Metro,” said Metro general manger Randy Clarke specifically citing the National Mall fireworks, a Nationals game and the Beyonce concert taking place in Landover, Maryland.
Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Tour will also feature a concert at Northwest Stadium on July 7.
“We are excited for Beyonce, the Queen Bae is doing her show on America’s birthday,” he said.
“While we haven’t announced officially for Beyonce on the seventh, we will be open as late as necessary to get people home,” he added.
On the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, trains will show up every 12 minutes until 5 p.m., and every 10 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., trains will run every 15 minutes.
Trains will service the Green and Yellow lines every 8 minutes until 5 p.m., and every 6 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., trains will show up every 8 minutes.
Riders are discouraged from using the Smithsonian station, as it may become overcrowded, particularly after the fireworks end Friday night
Metrobus will operate on a Sunday schedule, with detours and delays likely near the National Mall due to road closures.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
