WASHINGTON, DC, August 30, 2023 — Join the Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District (AMPBID), various DC Government agencies, and the MERIDIAN Rapid Defense Group for a demonstration of the Archer 1200 vehicle barrier system that was recently purchased by the AMPBID with funding from the DC Office of Planning’s Streets for the People grant. The demonstration will take place on Sunday, September 10 from 12:30-1:30pm during the Adams Morgan Pedestrian Zone road closure. The street will be closed to vehicular traffic for the Adams Morgan Day Festival which is from 12 noon to 7pm that day. The demonstration will occur at the intersection of Columbia Road and 18th Street NW (outside of 2481 18th Street, NW). Representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture (MONC), District Department of Transportation (DDOT), DC Office of Planning (OP), Department of Public Works (DPW),  Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), DC Fire and Emergengy Management (FEMS), Department of Public Works (DPW), Councilmember Brianne Nadeau‘s office, MERIDIAN Rapid Defense Group, and other agencies will be in attendance. 

The demonstration will showcase the Archer 1200 Barriers and how the system will work when used throughout Washington, DC for special event road closures. This is the first time the use of mobile barriers will be piloted in DC for special event road closures. 

Through the DC Office of Planning’s Streets for People grant, 24 barriers were purchased. The American-made steel barriers sit unanchored on the roadway surface, and can be placed by a single person using tools provided. The Archer 1200 Barrier can augment fixed-in-place HVM (Hostile Vehicle Mitigation) barriers or be utilized as a primary security system for entry points, roadways and perimeters. They are rapidly deployable in sets of 8 in under 10 minutes, and set-ups allow for pedestrian, cyclist, and emergency vehicle access in every deployment option. The barriers are stored on trailers pulled by a pickup truck and moved from their storage area to the event site. 

This barrier system demonstration is part of a larger, ongoing effort by the Adams Morgan Partnership BID to close 18th Street NW between Columbia and Kalorama Roads NW on a regular basis. The intention of the road closure is to support economic activities in Adams Morgan by creating opportunities for large numbers to gather in the neighborhood by hosting large-scale community building events. For more details on the Adams Morgan Pedestrian Zone, please visit: admodc.org/AMPZ. 

About the Adams Morgan Partnership BID

The Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District (AMPBID) is a nonprofit organization focused on enhancing the quality of life for businesses, commercial property owners, residents, visitors, and employees in the District of Columbia’s most vibrant and eclectic neighborhood. The Partnership provides daily street cleaning, fun neighborhood events, and creative marketing and economic development initiatives. Adams Morgan is world-renowned for its fantastic restaurants and nightlife, colorful retail stores and historic, tree-lined residential streets. The American Planning Association named Adams Morgan one of the top 10 neighborhoods in America. 

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Inquiries:

Kristen Barden

kbarden@admodc.org 

202-997-0783