Road closures around the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday for the 2026 State of the Union

Road restrictions set to begin after midnight and expand through Tuesday evening

Washington will see phased road closures around the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, as the President delivers the State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress. The speech is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m., with traffic restrictions starting shortly after midnight and widening through the evening before gradually lifting after the event concludes.

The closures are concentrated on streets bordering the Capitol Complex and key approaches that typically carry commuter traffic between Capitol Hill, downtown, and the Southwest waterfront. The staging reflects standard security planning for major national events at the Capitol, with access tightening as the day progresses and the evening perimeter expands.

Timeline: phased closures by start time

Several blocks will close to the public for most of Tuesday, beginning just after midnight:

• First Street between Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW
• Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd Street NW and First Street NW
• Maryland Avenue between 3rd Street SW and First Street SW

Additional closures begin at 1:00 p.m. and remain in effect through the conclusion of the event:

• First Street between Constitution Avenue NE and Independence Avenue SE
• East Capitol Street between First Street and 2nd Street

A broader set of closures begins at 5:30 p.m., affecting major cross-town routes:

• Constitution Avenue between Louisiana Avenue NW and 2nd Street NE
• Independence Avenue between Washington Avenue SW and 2nd Street SE
• First Street between Constitution Avenue NW and Louisiana Avenue NW
• First Street between the Rayburn House Office Building garage entrance and Independence Avenue SW
• D Street between First Street NE and 2nd Street NE
• Maryland Avenue between First Street NE and Constitution Avenue NE
• New Jersey Avenue between C Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW

Starting at 7:00 p.m., the perimeter expands again to include:

• First Street between Columbus Circle NE and D Street NE
• D Street between Louisiana Avenue NW and First Street NE
• Delaware Avenue between Columbus Circle NE and D Street NE
• 2nd Street between Constitution Avenue NE and Independence Avenue SE
• Constitution Avenue between 3rd Street NW and Louisiana Avenue NW
• First Street between C Street NW and Louisiana Avenue NW
• Independence Avenue between 3rd Street SW and Washington Avenue SW
• Washington Avenue between Independence Avenue SW and C Street SW
• 2nd Street between Washington Avenue SW and C Street SW

Additional impacts: tour buses and travel planning

Tour buses will be rerouted away from the Capitol Complex for passenger loading and unloading from 12:01 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. Tuesday, reflecting broader access controls around the Capitol campus during the event window.

Roads are expected to reopen only after the address concludes and security measures are lifted.

Drivers and commuters traveling near Capitol Hill Tuesday should plan for delays, consider alternate routes that avoid the Capitol perimeter, and allow additional time for crossings between Northwest, Northeast, and Southwest. The most significant congestion is likely during the afternoon commute and again into the evening as the 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. closures take effect.