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NPS Photo
Contact: Mike Litterst, 202-245-4676 Test installation of levee to close part of 17th Street on October 14
Washington –On Friday, October 14, the National Park Service will close 17th Street between Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW from 6 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. to perform a test installation of the 17th Street levee. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists should plan alternative routes accordingly to bypass the closed area. The annual closure is necessary to ensure the levee can be erected properly in the event of high water, and is also a requirement of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers levee system evaluation.
Consisting of aluminum panels between steel posts, the 17th Street levee is part of the Potomac Park Levee System in downtown Washington, D.C. In the event of high water, the removable structure can be erected across 17th Street NW south of Constitution Avenue NW to protect human safety and critical infrastructure downtown and in Southwest parts of the district from flooding of the Potomac River. The 17th Street levee is regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is operated and maintained by the National Park Service. Note for editors: A photo of the 2015 test installation (November 3, 2015) is attached.
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Last updated: October 12, 2016