Metro Adjusts 4 Routes for DC Parade Setup
Four WMATA bus routes detour April 17-20 for DC Emancipation Day Parade preparations
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DC Metro Reroutes 4 Bus Lines for Parade Setup
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Four Washington Metro bus routes will detour this weekend as crews set up for the DC Emancipation Day Parade and Festival. WMATA announced Friday that routes D10, D1X, D40, and D4X will be affected from 6:00pm April 17 through 6:00am April 20, 2026. The detours accommodate street closures on Pennsylvania Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets, NW, and on 13th Street between E Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
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The DC Emancipation Day Parade commemorates President Lincoln's signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act on April 16, 1862, which freed enslaved people in the District of Columbia. Transit officials said the weekend detours allow crews to install barriers, stages, and vendor areas along the parade route through downtown. WMATA typically implements temporary service changes for major civic events that require street closures in the federal district. Officials didn't specify how many riders use the affected routes on typical weekends.
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The D10 Pennsylvania Ave route will detour in both directions around the closure area. The D1X Pennsylvania Ave Limited will operate only between Naylor Rd Station and Pennsylvania Ave, SE at 8th St, ending service before reaching the closed section. The D40 7th St-Georgia Ave will run between Silver Spring Station and 9th St, NW at F St, while the D4X 7th St-Georgia Ave Limited will operate between Silver Spring Station and 7th St, NW at H St. Transit officials said all four routes will resume normal service Monday morning.
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The detours take effect at 6:00pm Friday, April 17, 2026, and will remain in place through the weekend. Normal service resumes at 6:00am Monday, April 20, 2026, after parade cleanup crews clear the streets. Officials didn't say whether additional service adjustments might be needed during the parade itself on Saturday.
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Riders should plan extra travel time and check for alternate routes if their usual stops fall within the closure area. WMATA encourages passengers to sign up for MetroAlerts for real-time service updates throughout the weekend. Moovit provides current bus locations and alternate route suggestions for affected riders during the detour period.
