Sure You Can Cross Key Bridge This Week, But Please Don’t

In order to prevent cars from even trying to enter the protected (and unfortunately named) “Green Zone” downtown between now and the inauguration tomorrow, the Secret Service has ordered the closure of Roosevelt, Memorial, and the 14th St. bridges. These closures are in effect as of this morning. Key Bridge is not closed, but for the sake of everyone, including you, please don’t try to use it!

The immediate issue is, of course, the fact that all the people who would try to drive across those other closed bridges would quickly overwhelm Key Bridge. (Granted, there shouldn’t be anyone driving their car downtown anyway, but surely many will stupidly try!)

But beyond that, the Secret Service is prohibiting cars from turning from Key Bridge to either Whitehurst Freeway or eastbound M St. Drivers can only turn left onto Canal Rd. So anyone who wants to drive to Georgetown (or points north or east) will have to loop up and around Foxhall and Reservoir Rd. This will possibly result in pre-Covid-like rush hour traffic on these roads.

So please, don’t try to us Key Bridge today or tomorrow. Just stay home and countdown the last few hours of (one of our) national nightmares. And if you have to cross the river in your car, consider using other options like Chain Bridge or the American Legion Bridge, which will both remain open.