140,000 spectators a day are expected as Washington hosts its first street IndyCar race this weekend, with Sunday’s 250-mile Freedom 250 starting near the U.S. Capitol.
The 1.66-mile course around the National Mall has been heavily modified—more than 200 manhole covers welded shut, roads resurfaced, barriers and fencing installed, and major street closures imposed through Sunday.
130-dB sound waves and race-car vibrations have alarmed the Living New Deal, which says frescoes in the Wilbur J. Cohen Building near a turn on the course could be damaged.
GSA said it reviewed nearby federal assets and found no areas of concern, while the National Gallery of Art said it ran an extensive vibration study and adopted precautionary measures.
Trump ordered the race in January as part of the U.S. 250th-birthday celebrations, saying cars could exceed 190 mph on Pennsylvania Avenue.