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The military parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary is nearly here, and anyone visiting Downtown D.C. along the National Mall can see the security measures that have taken place.
Road closures, blocked sidewalks, “no parking” signs and security fences are making the area around the monuments and memorials difficult to navigate for both tourists and locals.
As she crossed Constitution Avenue in the District’s Northwest, longtime D.C. resident Guzel Du Chateau said, “I would say this is worse than setting up for inauguration.”
“It’s made it a significant headache for any locals to get around,” she added.
Du Chateau should know, she has spent the last 17 years calling the nation’s capital home.
Not only is it tough to drive around the area around the Mall, Du Chateau pointed out it’s hard for pedestrians, too.
“Curb cuts are all cut off. So if you have a stroller, if you were in a wheelchair, you would not be able to get around downtown,” Du Chateau said.
It seems like some visiting the District are missing out on some traditional D.C. tourist spots, like the Dray family visiting from Wisconsin.
“Not being able to access everything right now has been a little disappointing, but overall, we’ve gone with the flow,” Breann Dray said.
Along with her husband Zachary, Breann is visiting with her three children. She pointed out to WTOP that due to road closures, the tour trolley they were on was unable to get close to the Washington Monument or the Jefferson Memorial.
She added that spending time with her family and visiting the area around the World War II memorials were her favorite parts of the trip.
With the expected 200,000 people coming to the parade, Du Chateau is doing something most D.C. residents don’t want to do — cross a bridge.
“I’m getting out of the city, across the river to the mighty Arlington,” Du Chateau said with a smile.
If you are planning to attend, here is what you need to know.