Cherry blossoms, ‘No Kings,’ March Madness — Downtown DC prepares for busy weekend
If you have plans to hit Downtown D.C. this weekend, prepare for a travel nightmare. Thousands are expected to flock to the National Mall and Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms in peak bloom as demonstrators gather for the latest round of “No Kings” protests.
Oh, and expect even more congestion as basketball fans pack Capital One Arena for March Madness.
Cherry blossom takeover
The weekend kicks off with kite-flying and musical performances during the Blossom Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds Saturday. Thousands of visitors are expected to head to the Tidal Basin to take in the cherry blossoms; the puffy white flowers officially reached peak bloom Thursday.
The National Park Service recommended using public transportation for cherry blossom related events. The nearest train stop to the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin is the Smithsonian/National Mall station on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. Travelers can also get off at the Foggy Bottom, Federal Triangle or L’Enfant Plaza stations.
In a post on X, Metro wrote bus riders can also take the D50 bus to see the cherry blossoms.
In a statement to WTOP, Metro said it’s “prepared to move large numbers of customers” around the region this weekend and it plans to have additional staff at stations to assist people. Customers are encouraged to download the MetroPulse app or visit Metro’s website for real-time service details.
If you plan to drive, the National Park Service said to be prepared for “severe traffic congestion, extremely scarce parking, and altered traffic patterns,” which may lead to road closures.
Starting Saturday, East Basin Drive will be closed between Ohio Drive and the Ohio Drive Bridge from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. That daily closure will last through April 11.
These streets will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, according to U.S. Park Police:
- 17th Street NW between Constitution Ave NW and Independence Ave SW
- 15th St NW between Constitution Ave NW and Independence Ave SW
- Raoul Wallenberg Pl. SW between Independence Ave SW and Maine Ave SW
- Independence Ave SW between 14th St SW and 17th St SW
- Madison Drive NW between 14th St. NW and 15th St. NW
- Jefferson Drive SW between 14th St. NW and 15th St. NW
- Madison Drive between 7th St NW and 14th St NW
‘No Kings’ demonstrations
At the same time, there will be multiple demonstrations around the country protesting the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The rallies, dubbed “No Kings,” plan to bring together thousands of people who believe Trump and his actions represents a direct threat to American democracy. In previous editions, people either gathered in large cities or in their own communities in small demonstrations calling for “No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.”
Multiple rallies are set to take place around the D.C. region Saturday, including at the Frederick Douglass Bridge and the National Mall.
U.S. Park Police said to plan for temporary closures of the Memorial Bridge and Memorial Circle, depending on need. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon.
A D.C. police spokesperson initially told WTOP there would be rolling street closures throughout the day at the smaller demonstrations around the city. However, the department announced in an update that certain road closures will be in place.
From 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the following streets will be listed as emergency no parking:
- 600 block of Howard Road SE
- 2nd Street from R Street to P Street SW
- P Street from 2nd Street to 4th Street SW
- 4th Street from P Street to M Street SW
From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., closures will impact the following roads:
- Howard Road from Suitland Parkway to Firth Sterling Avenue SE
- Inbound Suitland Parkway from Firth Sterling Avenue to Frederick Douglass Bridge
From 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., closures will take effect at:
- Frederick Douglass Bridge
- South Capitol Street from L Street to the Frederick Douglass Bridge
- 2nd Street from R Street to P Street SW
- P Street from 2nd Street to 4th Street SW
- 4th Street from P Street to M Street SW
- M Street from 6th Street to 3rd Street SW
Drivers can follow D.C. police’s traffic X page for updated traffic details Saturday.
For details on traffic delays around the region related to the No Kings demonstration, download the WTOP app and listen to up-to-the-minute updates from the WTOP Traffic team.
March Madness invades DC
College basketball will cap off the busy weekend in D.C., as the East Regional final of the men’s NCAA Tournament will take place Sunday at Capital One Arena.
The matchup is yet to be determined, pending the result of Friday’s games. The winner will head to the Final Four.
Fans are advised to take public transportation and arrive early, due to the ongoing renovations at the arena. The Gallery Place Metro station on the Green, Yellow and Red lines provides direct access to the arena.
D.C. police will briefly close the F Street side of the arena before and after the game. In a statement to WTOP, Metro said it plans to follow its regular Sunday schedule and close at midnight. There are no plans to close stations later for the NCAA Tournament.