NATO Summit Disrupts Daily Life for Washington ResidentsNATO Summit Disrupts Daily Life for Washington Residents The 75th anniversary summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has brought significant disruptions to the lives of residents in the heart of Washington, D.C. The summit, which began earlier this week and concludes on Thursday, has necessitated extensive street closures in the vicinity of the White House and the National Mall. While these closures have primarily affected commuters, the impact has been more pronounced near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, where much of the summit is taking place. Residents residing near the convention center have been grappling with “pretty chaotic” conditions, according to Thomas Broekhove, who has experienced severe traffic congestion and difficulties commuting to work. Businesses have also been affected, with Nick Min, owner of Tower Cleaners, reporting a decline in foot traffic and business. Road closures and pedestrian restrictions have isolated the convention center area, with many roads set to remain closed until 6 p.m. Friday. The closures have persisted beyond the summit’s end date, adding to the frustration and inconvenience experienced by residents.
WASHINGTON (7News) — Many DC residents are experiencing dramatic impacts on their daily lives as NATO’s 75th anniversary summit continues through Thursday.
There have been numerous street closures near the White House and the National Mall since early this week. While they have caused long delays for commuters, relatively few people live where the closures have occurred.
But near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center—where much of the NATO summit takes place—it’s a different story. The convention center is surrounded on almost all sides by residential neighborhoods.
READ MORE | NATO Summit 2024: Security closures, protests impact DC-area traffic
“It’s been pretty chaotic,” said Thomas Broekhove, who lives near the convention center. “A lot of traffic. It’s been hell to get to work.”
“The traffic is really bad. The foot traffic is really slowed down,” said Nick Min, owner of Tower Cleaners, which is on O Street, NW, about a block from the convention center. “As a business owner, that’s not good for me.”
Many roads around the convention center are closed to cars and even pedestrians are not allowed near the convention center.
According to a D.C. traffic website set up for the NATO summit, many of the closed roads near the convention center will not reopen until 6 p.m. Friday. The summit itself ends on Thursday.
MORE | FULL LIST OF ROAD CLOSURES AND ACCESS POINTS
