Pennsylvania Avenue

vigeo · Oct 18, 2012

So far the opening scene of my story takes place on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Old Exec. Office Bldg. Upon research that might have to be changed.
According to Wikipedia the stretch of Pennsylvania Ave. between 17th st. and 15th st. is closed to traffic. Then is mentioned a fenced compound from the Old Executive Office Building to the Treasury Building. If pedestrians cannot advance past the fenced compound and gather in front of the Old Exec. Office Bldg. what are the farthest points (heading towards the WH) along Penn. Ave. and N.Y. Ave. can pedestrians advance unimpeded?
On the page "Pennsylvania Avenue"/security measures Wikipedia says:
"After the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the Secret Service closed the portion of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House to all vehicular traffic. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic, however, was still permitted on the sidewalk. After 9/11 this policy was made permanent."
This sounds as if pedestrians can gather in front of the Old Exec.

Nekko · Oct 21, 2012

It's been a few years since I was in DC, (after 9/11) but pedestrian traffic was indeed still permitted on the sidewalk.

Duncan J Macdonald · Oct 23, 2012

vigeo said:
So far the opening scene of my story takes place on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Old Exec. Office Bldg. Upon research that might have to be changed.
According to Wikipedia the stretch of Pennsylvania Ave. between 17th st. and 15th st. is closed to traffic. Then is mentioned a fenced compound from the Old Executive Office Building to the Treasury Building. If pedestrians cannot advance past the fenced compound and gather in front of the Old Exec. Office Bldg. what are the farthest points (heading towards the WH) along Penn. Ave. and N.Y. Ave. can pedestrians advance unimpeded?
On the page "Pennsylvania Avenue"/security measures Wikipedia says:
"After the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the Secret Service closed the portion of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House to all vehicular traffic. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic, however, was still permitted on the sidewalk. After 9/11 this policy was made permanent."
This sounds as if pedestrians can gather in front of the Old Exec.

Go to any of the on-line mapping sites (Google Maps, Mapquest, etc.) and bring up the White House with photo overlay. You can see the two sets of barriers on Penn'a Ave at the east and west ends (15th and 17th streets respectively). You can also see the guard booths/stations. All of the street is essentially a pedestrian mall, and you can walk all along the fence-line between the sidewalk and the White House grounds. There aren't many days that protesters of one stripe or another don't gather somewhere along the street.

Also note that traffic is allowed -- escorted and official only -- and that pedestrians will be moved elsewhere when the convoy is in motion.

Joemassaro · Oct 26, 2012

You can walk through the above mentioned areas most of the time (special events are usually when things are blocked off). There are retractable silver barrier poles that can be lowered for official vehicles to pass. Other than that, pedestrians are the only ones allowed through that area. I walk it whenever I visit the area (I live right outside DC in Alexandria).
Joe

vigeo · Nov 15, 2012

sorry for the delay

Thanks for the info, only minor alterations to my story were needed. I was distracted the last time I was here and did not reply.

Pennsylvania Avenue

vigeo

# + ! = ?

Nekko

Back to purring

Duncan J Macdonald

Plotting! Not Plodding!

Joemassaro

Professional Hack Writer

vigeo

# + ! = ?