representatives of the District of Columbia Department of Public
Works ("DPW") and the Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD"),
occurred, During these contacts the extent and parameters of the
closure that the Secret Service intended to implement were
discussed. As part of these preliminary plans, the number of MPD
posts necessary to manage the resulting traffic congestion were
addressed, as well as the location of those posts and other
important efforts by MPD.
9. Consistent with the Review's recommendation, and in
compliance with the Secretary's May 19 Order, the Secret Service
closed entirely to public vehicular traffic Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W., between Madison Place, N.W. and 17th Street, N.W., State
Place, N.W., and the segment of South Executive Avenue, N.W. that
connects into State Place, N.W. Only authorized vehicles,
particularly police, fire, ambulance, motorcade, and vehicles
entering the White House Complex, may now access this area. In
addition, both Madison Place, N.W., between H Street, N.W. and
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., and the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., between Madison Place, N.W. and 15th Street, N.W.,
are open to limited vehicular traffic. Only those authorized
vehicles noted above, and Metrobuses, may enter Madison Place,
N.W. Only those authorized vehicles noted above, as well as
Metrobuses, and banking customers accessing the banking
institutions entered on the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue,
N,W,, may gain vehicular access to the 1500 Block. The measures
taken to accommodate bank parking are discussed more thoroughly
4
below at paragraph 14. With regard to Jackson Place, N.W.,
Hamilton Place, N.W., and East Executive Avenue, N.W., those
streets were limited access streets prior to the May 20 action.
Particularly with respect to Jackson Place, N.W., and Hamilton
Place, N.W., only vehicles bearing an authorized parking permit
were permitted to enter these streets before the May 20 action.
The Secret Service has taken no action that changes the limited
access status existing at Jackson Place, N.W., and Hamilton
Place, N.W., prior to the May 20 action. Of course, the scope
and details of all of these measures have developed and evolved
since the May 20 action, and the actual configuration of security
barriers has changed, as the Secret Service has continued weekly
meetings with the District officials discussed below.
10. Since the May 20 action, Secret Service representatives
have met weekly with representatives of MPD, DPW, and the
Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority-Metrobus
("Metrobus"). In particular, the transportation problems created
by the May 20 action, and the resulting changes and adjustments
to traffic patterns implemented by DPW, as well as the
configuration of security barriers located on Madison Place, N.W.
and the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania, N.W., have been discussed.
11. As part of these discussions, it was concluded by DPW
that certain traffic modifications were necessary to minimize the
impact that the May 20 action had on traffic. As a consequence,
DPW issued a "Notice of Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking"
pursuant to the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure
5
Act. This rulemaking implemented numerous traffic direction and
street use changes in the area of the White House. In
particular, The DPW rulemaking, a copy of which is attached as
Exhibit A hereto, indicated that traffic on Madison Place, W.W.,
between H Street, N.W. and the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W, would be one-way in a southbound direction. The DPW
rulemaking also designated Madison Place, N.W.. and the 1500 Block
of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. for use by Metrobuses only.
12. This same DPW rulemaking also designated H Street,
N.W., between New York Avenue, N.W. and Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W., as one-way in an eastbound direction, and 15th Street,
N.W., between New York Avenue, N.W. and K Street, N.W., as one-
way in a northbound direction. As a result, Metrobuses now enter
Madison Place, N.W. at H Street, N.W., proceed southbound on
Madison to bus stops located there, turn left on the 1500 Block
of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., and exit the White House area at
the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. and 15th Street,
N.W.
13. Further, as part of Secret Service discussions with
Metrobus and DPW, efforts were made to minimize the impact of the
May 20 action on Metrobus scheduling and operations. Prior to
the May 20 action, only one Metrobus line, the X-2 Benning Road
Line, staged on Madison Place, N.W., and only one other line, the
N.W., passed through Madison Place, N.W. The number of Metrobus
lines utilizing Madison Place, N.W. now equals seven, In total,
159 Metrobus trips utilize Madison Place, N.W. during peak hours.
6
14. Following the May 20 action, the Secret Service and DPW
were approached by the banking institutions with entrances on the
1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. These institutions noted
that the May 20 action had completely eliminated the public
parking located on the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
that had been previously utilized by bank customers. Moreover,
the conversion of 15TH Street, W.W. to one-way traffic between
New York Avenue, N.W. and K Street, N.W. were also noted. As a
result, the Secret Service reconfigured the security barriers on
the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. consistent with a
design developed by DPW. This reconfiguration was provided by
DPW to reasonably accommodate and provide limited access parking
spaces to banking customers accessing the banking establishments
entered on the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. A copy of
the reconfigured portion of the 1500 Block is attached as Exhibit
B hereto.
15. Based upon Secret Service discussions, meetings, and
joint efforts with DPW, MPD, and Metrobus concerning Madison
Place, N.W. and the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania, N.W., it was
clear that limited vehicular access to these streets addressed
numerous concerns. First, limited access addressed traffic flow
and safety concerns raised by DPW. Second, the limited access
status accommodated Metrobus operations for the area proximate to
the White House area. Third, the limited access status also
alleviated traffic congestion on surrounding traffic arteries,
particularly those redesignated as one-way streets, by
7
redirecting as much Metrobus activity as possible to Madison
Place, N.W., and the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W, At
bottom, all of our efforts in implementing the May 20 action,
both pre- and post-closure, including the decisions made
concerning Madison Place, N.W. and the 1500 Block of Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., accommodated critical security as well as traffic
and safety needs.
Further declarant sayeth not.
I declare under penalty of perjury, pursuant to United
States Code, title 28, section 1746, that the foregoing is true
and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Date 8/21/95
(signed) Norbert E. Vint
Assistant Special Agent In Charge
Washington Field Office
United States Secret Service