Pennsylvania Ave. Should Be Closed to Protect White House, Panel Says

An advisory committee examining security at the White House has recommended closing Pennsylvania Avenue after experts determined that a truck bomb outside the gates could do enough damage to injure persons inside the residence, sources familiar with the overview said Monday.

The concern predated the April 19 blast in Oklahoma City that obliterated a large section of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. But the bomb’s power underscored the potential threat to the White House, sources said.

“The concern was for the increased capacity of a few individuals to do harm,” said one source familiar with the report, which has not been released. “The big problem was always Pennsylvania Avenue. If the truck gets there, it’s too late.”

The committee recommendation to close the avenue from 15th to 17th streets is part of an overall review of security at the White House, including the performance of the U.S. Secret Service. Under the panel’s proposal, the area in front of the White House would become a pedestrian mall.