Overall foot traffic in the heart of Downtown D.C. started hot last year, thanks to the inauguration and return to office mandates, but as the year went on, things started to level off.
The number of people who visited Downtown was up slightly in 2025 for those reasons, and with help from other major events such as WorldPride. But local business leaders said during Thursday’s State of Downtown Forum they’re worried about where things are going there and the rest of the region.
“Foot traffic in 2025 started with a sprint, but ended up crossing the finish line with a hobble,” said Mark Simpson, director of planning and economic development for the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District.
Trips to museums and Capital One Arena were up, while theater traffic was slightly down. Then he got to the matter of jobs.
