Stay off the grass. Map via Google.

For the next 18 or so months, visitors to the National Mall will have to stay off the grass between 7th and 12th Street, as turf restoration continues.

You may recall a similar closure from 3rd to 7th Street, which ended in 2012 and resulted in some beautiful new grass that came with some heavy regulations.

“The new work includes excavation and removal of 4-5’ of damaged soil; installation of irrigation drainage and a 250,000 gallon cistern to collect and allow reuse of storm water; installation of a compaction-resistant engineered soil, similar in composition and quality to that found on athletic fields; regarding the panels to improve drainage, and sodding with advanced varieties of tall fescue and bluegrass,” according to the National Park Service.

The closure affects the area between Jefferson and Madison drives. The sidewalks will remain open.