One of the busiest streets in Adams Morgan will soon close to vehicles during set times on certain Sundays, according to an order from the D.C. mayor's office.
A portion of 18th Street NW will close at least one Sunday a month between August and October, the order said. The street closures are a part of the “Streets for People” grant program which aims to create economic recovery and support local businesses through programming.
“It’s official: 18th Street in Adams Morgan will be open to pedestrians (and closed to cars)," Peter Wood, an Adams Morgan commissioner, said.
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Adams Morgan is known for its restaurants, shopping and live music. Since the pandemic, restaurant "streeteries" have filled area parking lanes.
"To increase space for people to come and walk and dine and bicycle," Kristen Barden, executive director of the Adams Morgan BID, said. "We’re going to have some pop up entertainment for people of all ages."
According to Wood, the Sunday street closures are a “trial phase” for a more permanent arrangement being planned.
“We’re hoping if these are successful, that we’ll be able to expand the program to cover more weekends and a longer period of time, so this is only the beginning,” Barden said.
Anita Cozart, the interim director of the DC Office of Planning, said Adams Morgan will not be the first street closure event nor the last. The District plans to make more "Streets for People" grants available to neighborhoods in October.
“We are piloting approaches to reusing our streets, our alleys, our plazas, our sidewalks, in ways that really transform how people experience downtown,” Cozart said.
During the National Cherry Blossom Festival, a part of Fifth Street was closed for a spring event, Cozart said. D.C. BIDs have also held live music events, art festivals, outdoor movies and more.
The street will be closed to car traffic and designated as a “special event area” between Kalorama and Columbia roads from 12 to 10 p.m. on Aug. 21, Sept. 4 and Oct. 23.
The street closures will impact some MetroBus routes.
