Anyone headed to the National Mall should expect to see additional closures.
A large portion of the grass along the National Mall will be closed to the public for months for turf restoration work, authorities say.
Closures stretching for about a mile between 3rd Street SW and 14th Street SW start Tuesday and are set to continue through Jan. 24, 2027, the National Park Service said.
Crews will work on the turf after heavy public use and major events, Kevin Griess, the National Mall and memorial parks superintendent said.
“The center turf panels and tree panels of the National Mall require significant restoration due to wear, soil compaction, turf loss, and damage associated both with recent permitted events and sustained high levels of public use,” he said in a statement. “These closures and public use limits are necessary to allow for effective turf rehabilitation and regrowth, as continued foot traffic would interfere with the recovery process.”
Pedestrians, demonstrations and special events will not be allowed on fenced-off sections of the Mall, Griess said.
A map from the Park Service shows the area that will be closed. The solid green shapes indicate center panels of turf. The multicolor shapes indicate tree panels. Go here to see a larger version of the map.
[Credit: National Park Service]
A portion of the Mall’s walkways near the fenced-off areas will remain open during the project, and other grassy areas will remain open as usual, the Park Service said.
“Closures will be lifted as soon as practicable, restoring access to the public. Violation of this closure is prohibited,” Griess said.
President Donald Trump recently blamed vandals for dead grass on the Mall near the World War II Memorial – where he hosted crowds for his July 4 celebration.
“Look what VANDALS did to the grass connecting the vandalized World War II Monument and the vandalized Reflecting Pool, which will be opened again, and better than ever, shortly,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
The World War II Memorial is west of the area affected by the turf project, on the other side of the Washington Monument.
For the first time, President Trump publicly acknowledged contractor error in the peeling of the paint liner in the Reflecting Pool. Meanwhile, fencing will remain for longer. News4’s Megan McGrath reports.
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