DC Mayor Says BLM Plaza Will Stay

Construction began Monday in making Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., permanent.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced the plans Friday and reminded the public to expect lane closures, and 16^th Street NW between H and K Streets will be closed to traffic. However, sidewalks will remain open and local access to businesses will continue as normal. The lane closure is in order to install roadway pavers, bollards, and the Black Lives Matter mural.

DDOT added traffic controls will guide drivers and pedestrians safely around the work zone, and construction is expected to conclude by Oct. 1. Once construction finishes, the permanent installation will accommodate vehicles, protect pedestrians, and maintain the original design.

Last year, after the police killing of George Floyd, Bowser renamed a section of 16^th Street "Black Lives Matter Plaza."

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