A large swath of the National Mall lawn was closed to the public this week for a months-long turf-restoration project.
The closures, which are expected to last through Jan. 24, follow a summer of increased activity and foot traffic in downtown Washington for events celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday. The grass panels and surrounding tree panels “require significant restoration,” the National Park Service said, because of wear, soil compaction, turf loss and other damage.
“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,” said Kevin L. Griess, superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks.
The affected area stretches from near the Capitol building to 14th Street NW near the Washington Monument — the same area that was transformed for events hosted by Freedom 250, the group President Donald Trump created in January by executive order to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial.
For two weeks in June and July, it was transformed for the Great American State Fair. The Mall also saw a spike in tourism around the Fourth of July celebrations, including a speech from Trump and a record-breaking fireworks show. In late August, the area was used as spectator zones for the Grand Prix IndyCar race.
Last month, Trump said vandals were responsible for large swaths of dead grass on the National Mall. He did not provide evidence for the claim.
“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 wrote on Truth Social.
He also shared a photo showing the lawn with bare patches of brown dirt. That section just to the west of the Washington Monument, which is not currently slated for restoration, was yellowed Wednesday. It is the same section where the numbers “86 47″ appeared to be etched into the lawn in June. The numeral “86” is a restaurant industry term that generally refers to the removal of an item or the refusal of service. The following number, “47,” was thought by Trump allies to refer to him, the 47th president of the United States.
That same stretch of lawn was later used for seating and staging during the president’s Fourth of July address.
A portion of the National Mall, including the area near the Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool, will remain open to the public, as will the walkways that surround the affected areas.
The Mall underwent a cluttered transformation in the weeks ahead of the Fourth of July, when tall black fencing was erected around its monuments, creating a maze with dead ends.
On Wednesday, the grass affected by new closures appeared green and lush. Smaller fencing — metal pegs connected by rope — was visible to limit access to the grass.
Since the Trump administration took office, it has announced multiple renovation projects at federal parks in the District, especially the National Mall. In March, the National Park Service shut down the grass lawn at Malcolm X Park (also known as Meridian Hill) in Northwest Washington, erecting fences around the federally owned community hub, and sparking petitions and outrage from District residents. The fencing was removed in August. The administration also oversaw the restoration of fountains at Dupont Circle and Logan Circle, which both experienced closures and have since reopened.
The stretch of the National Mall that will close until late January has been the site of generations of demonstrations, events and recreational sports games. Washingtonians responded on social media with concerns that the closures would limit gathering places for protests ahead of the midterm elections.
“Wonder what that could possibly interfere with?” one person commented on a Reddit post about the closure. “Looks like there won’t be any protests near the Capitol building.”
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said she wasn’t familiar with the closure plans but wasn’t concerned.
“If it’s a resting period, which is what it sounds like, all green spaces across the city should be programmed periodically, for reseeding and rest. But not at the same time, and strategically, and not when they’re going to be most used,” Bowser said. “Over time, that will have a really beneficial effect on the turf.”
Elliott L. Ferguson, president of Destination DC, said that he does not believe the closures will affect tourism and that swaths of lawn on the Mall have been closed for restoration before.
“Visitors will still come. They can still use the sidewalks,” he said. “Perhaps they won’t be able to do things on the Mall itself, but there are other green spaces in Washington that we’ll promote for folks that really want to have an outdoor experience.”
Helen Bruce, 53, who was visiting from Brisbane, Australia, on Wednesday with her husband, Scott, said they wished more of the Mall was open. Nearby, construction vehicles beeped as crews worked to clear the vestiges of Grand Prix grandstands.
“In all honesty, as tourists, I just assumed it was like this all time,” she said.
Liam Bowman contributed to this report.
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