Below was as close as I could get to the White House when I visited this spring. Between the construction and the security, it felt like a war zone.

But thankfully, it can now be seen from Pennsylvania Avenue if you are a pedestrian. (WP):

First lady Laura Bush reopened a newly designed stretch of the street on Tuesday, two blocks that were closed 14 months ago to replace some of the uglier security measures with more attractive ones.

Gone are the Jersey barriers. In their place are bollards that are retractable for authorized vehicles. The $18.3 million project also includes granite benches, pavement similar to Buckingham Palace and a route for a possible downtown transit system.

The street remains closed to traffic, as it has been since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.