Amended Notice to the Public

This Notice to the Public amends the August 10, 2026, Notice to the Public.

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5, the NPS will impose temporary closures of, and public use limits in, certain designated parklands and roadways within or in areas managed by the National Mall and Memorial Parks in conjunction with the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. These closures will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14, 2026. Details on times and locations of closures are included below. Maps illustrating the closed park and district areas are attached.

These temporary closures and use limits come at the request of the United States Park Police based on concerns for public and worker safety in the area as well as the United States Secret Service based on requirements for security for persons under their protection. Less restrictive measures will not suffice to provide for public safety.

Park Areas

• From 6:00 a.m. Friday, August 14, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the following areas will be closed to pedestrian access:
  • Reservation 553: The small median area located southeast of the George Gordon Meade Memorial between Constitution Avenue NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW
  • Reservation 201: The small median area located southeast of the National Museum of the American Indian between Maryland Avenue SW, 3^rd Street SW, and Independence Avenue SW
• From 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026, until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 23^rd the following areas will be closed to pedestrian access:
  • Sidewalks along Pennsylvania Avenue National Historical Site: On the north side from 3^rd Street NW to 10^th Street NW, and on the south side between 6th Street NW and 10^th Street NW.
  • John Marshall Park
  • National Mall:
    • From 12^th Street NW to 3^rd Street NW, including panels 1-6 and associated areas between Jefferson Drive SW and Madison Dr NW, including all internal roads, sidewalks, and paths.
    • The eastern sidewalk on 12^th street NW between Madison Drive NW and Jefferson Dr SW
    • The western sidewalk on 3^rd street NW between Madison Drive NW and Jefferson Drive SW
    • The norther and southern sidewalks on Madison Dr NW between 12^th Street NW and 3^rd Street NW
    • The northern and southern sidewalks on Jefferson Dr SW between 12^th street NW and 3^rd Street NW
  • George Gordon Meade Memorial and the adjacent sidewalk to the southwest and southeast
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, including adjacent and internal sidewalks
  • Indiana Plaza, including adjacent sidewalks
  • The United States Navy Memorial, including adjacent sidewalks
  • Albert Pike Statue
• August 2, 2026- September 15, 2026
  • Beyond actual closures, additional temporary impediments to pedestrian access are expected to occur intermittently at these locations due to fencing installation and removal.

Roadways

• From approximately 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 14, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic:
  • Madison Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street, NW
  • Jefferson Drive from 14th Street to 3rd Street, NW
  • 12^th street Ramp between Madison Drive NW to Constitution Avenue NW
  • 12^th Street Ramp between Jefferson Avenue to Independence Avenue NW
• From 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 27, 2026, to 11:50 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the above closure will be reduced to the following:
  • Madison Drive from 7^th Street to 3^rd Street, NW
  • Jefferson Drive from 7^th Street to 3^rd Street, NW

In addition, the USPP and USSS will temporarily restrict the below listed prohibited items from park property in conjunction with the Grand Prix event. This list may not be all-inclusive, and the USPP and USSS reserve the right to prohibit any other items that are determined to be a potential public safety hazard.

At the following times, the USPP will enforce screening measures for credentialed personnel and public entering the above areas:

• Friday, August 21, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.

At the following time, the USSS will enforce screening measures for credentialed personnel and public entering the above areas:

• Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. util 3:30 p.m.

People passing through these screening measures will be prohibited from possessing the following items:

• Laptops, Tripods, Monopods, and Selfie Sticks

*If an invited guest arrives with a tablet, they will be redirected to the X-ray line for screening and then permitted entry with the tablet.

• Large Bags and Suitcases exceeding size restrictions (18” x 13” x 7”)
• Packages
• Drones and other Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• Animals other than service/guide animals
• Bicycles, Scooters, Folding Chairs, Balloons, Coolers, Glass, Thermal or Metal Containers, Paint
• Umbrellas (umbrellas without metal tips will be permitted)
• Pointed Objects, to include knives of any kind
• Aerosols, Tobacco Products, e-Cigarettes, Lighters, Matches
• Firearms, Ammunition, Fireworks, Laser Pointers, Stun Guns, Tasers, Mace/Pepper Spray, Toy Weapons
• Tents and Structures
• Any Other Items Determined to be Potential Safety Hazards

With respect to signs and placards, the Secret Service has determined that it poses a security risk to allow signs or placards made of hard materials that could be used as a weapon. Therefore, the Secret Service and US Park Police will exclude signs or placards of any size that are not made of soft material such as paper, cardboard, poster board or cloth. Additionally, any sign or placard supports made out of hard materials (e.g., poles, wooden supports) will also be prohibited. This will prevent such items from being used as a means of concealing weapons or as weapons themselves.Although public access is restricted to all areas identified above between 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 22, 226 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. August 23, 2026, ticketed public may access the following areas after security screening:

• John Marshall Park
• National Mall (as described above)
• Indiana Plaza
• The United States Navy Memorial
• Albert Pike Statue

First Amendment and public gathering activities will be subject to uniformly applied security restrictions, including security screenings, the Secret Service’s prohibited items list, identification requirements such as individuals holding permits for activities within restricted areas, and other NPS guidelines for attendanceThe National Park Service appreciates the public’s cooperation in this matter.


Michael Commisso /s/ 8/20/2026
Deputy Superintendent

 

Figure 1: Temporary Area Closure

 

Figure 2: Temporary Road Closures

 

Figure 3: Temporary Road Closures