Closings and Standstills Expected on Inauguration Day

January 18, 2005

Closings and Standstills Expected on Inauguration Day
January 18, 2005 – According to the Washington Post, the District government is warning drivers to stay away from downtown areas from tomorrow afternoon to early Friday, when street closings and crowds of those people attending the presidential inauguration are likely to bring traffic to a standstill.

As the first inaugural since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials say that they plan to prevent vehicles from entering approximately 100 blocks of the city and restrict traffic on an additional 100 blocks on Inauguration Day. The area stretches from George Washington University and the Lincoln Memorial across the city to Union Station and beyond Capitol Hill. Several blocks around the city’s new Convention Center will also be blocked off.

Residents can also expect a sizable number of temporary closings starting today as VIPs are shuttled around town.

Washington, D.C., Transportation Director Dan Tangherlini said closures on 15th and 17th streets NW and Constitution Avenue that start at noon would place incredible pressure on other roads heading out of the city.

Metro officials said trains will run from 5 a.m. on Thursday to 3 a.m. Friday to accommodate people heading to evening balls and other events. Trains will run every four to six minutes downtown from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Inauguration Day and every 7.5 to eight minutes from 8 to 10 p.m. They plan to charge off-peak fares all day Thursday, and parking will be free at Metro-run facilities. A commemorative inaugural one-day Metrorail pass for $6.50 will be available in all stations.

On Inauguration Day, the Smithsonian and Archives-Navy Memorial stations will be closed from 5 a.m. until the parade ends about 5 p.m.; the Mount Vernon Square-Seventh Street-Convention Center station will close at 3 p.m. and reopen at 1 a.m., and the Judiciary Square station entrance on F Street NW will close at 5:30 p.m. and reopen at 1 a.m.

Virginia officials said all road construction projects would be halted Thursday and that all high-occupancy-vehicle rules would be in effect. Maryland officials said they will post inaugural information on overhead signs and radio alerts.

To view of a map of street closings or to read the entire article in the Washington Post, click here.