White House Farmers Market Closes Stretch Of Vermont Avenue

A new farmers market launched by Michelle Obama is closing a thoroughfare in downtown D.C. once a week, until the end of next month.

Just a hop, skip and jump from the White House, the market will close Vermont Avenue between H and I Streets, every Thursday from 1 to 8 PM.

There has been concern about the closure tying up rush hour traffic. And in fact, the L2 bus will have to shift its route and loop around the block.

"I Don't think anyone will have to go very far out of their way to get where they need to go," says John Lisle, spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Transportation. Leslie says only 4,600 cars a day use that stretch of Vermont Avenue.

"If you compare that to either H Street or I Street on either end, both of those streets carry about 20,000 cars a day," says Leslie. Lisle encourages motorists to use 14th, 15th and 16th Streets as alternate routes on Thursdays.

The market will be held weekly, through October 29th. It will offer a range of items, including fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, bread and cut flowers.

Rebecca Sheir reports...