PRESS RELEASES from WMATA
Jan.
14,
2013
Metro outlines final plans for Inauguration
Weekend
Metro will operate for 22 hours on Inauguration Day,
opening three hours early at 4 a.m. and remaining open until 2 a.m.
From the time the system opens, trains will operate at rush-hour
service levels for 17 consecutive hours, until 9 p.m., to accommodate
expected crowds.
The following is a summary of Metro service plans for
Inauguration Weekend 2013:
On Saturday, January 19:
- Metrorail and Metrobus service will operate on a regular Saturday
schedule.
- Metrorail will open at 7 a.m. and close at 3 a.m. with no
scheduled track work anywhere on the system.
- Parking will be free at Metro-operated facilities, and off-peak
fares will be in effect.
On Sunday, January 20:
- Metrorail and Metrobus service will operate on a regular Sunday
schedule.
- Metrorail will open at 7 a.m. and close at midnight with no
scheduled track work anywhere on the system.
- Parking will be free at Metro-operated facilities, and off-peak
fares will be in effect.
- The
only planned service change on Sunday will affect Judiciary Square
Station, where the F Street entrance will close at 4 p.m. for the
remainder of the day due to an event at the National Building Museum.
Customers will be able to enter and exit the station using the
4th
Street entrance. Elevator service will remain available at all times.
On Inauguration Day, Monday, January 21:
- Metrorail will open at 4 a.m. and close at 2 a.m.
- Rush
hour service will operate from 4 a.m. until 9 p.m. with peak fares in
effect during that time. After 9 p.m., off-peak fares will be in effect.
- The
"Rush+" service pattern will not be in effect, and Yellow Line trains
will operate only between Huntington and Gallery Place, due to an event
at the Convention Center. View
Metro
service map for Inauguration Day.
- Three Metrorail stations will be closed on Inauguration Day:
Smithsonian, Archives and Mt. Vernon Square.
- The
four Metrorail stations closest to the Capitol should only be used by
those with Inauguration tickets. They are: Union Station, Judiciary
Square, Capitol South and Federal Center SW.
- At
Metro-operated parking garages and lots, standard weekday parking rates
will be charged upon exit from the facility. The fee can be paid with
value on a SmarTrip card or major credit card.
- Metrobus
service will operate a regular weekday schedule, with an early PM rush
hour for the benefit of Inauguration attendees heading home after the
ceremony and parade.
- Several dozen Metrobus routes will
be shortened due to road closures near the National Mall. Customers
should check Metro's Inauguration Day map for special "turn back"
locations in Downtown DC. Those customers traveling beyond the National
Mall should use Metrorail to complete their trip.
Important Travel Tips for Inauguration Travelers
Download
the
Metro Inauguration Rider Guide (pdf)
- Purchase a farecard or SmarTrip® card in advance for
everyone
in your group to
avoid long lines on Inauguration Day. Each traveler age 5 or older will
need his or her own card to enter and exit the Metrorail system. You
can buy cards online at wmata.com,
regional
transit
stores or at any Metrorail station, Metro sales office
or local CVS, Giant or Safeway stores. Be sure to load enough value on
the SmarTrip® or farecard for your entire trip. To determine your
fare,
visit the station information page for your origin station. If you use
a paper farecard, a $1 surcharge applies for each Metrorail trip you
take.
- Avoid transferring between Metrorail lines. There is a
station near the National Mall on each of Metro's five rail lines. Use
Metro's "Best Route" trip planner at wmata.com/inauguration to
find the best station to use.
- Sign up for Metro Inauguration Alerts at wmata.com/inauguration.
By email and text message, Metro will provide real-time updates of any
service changes over Inauguration Weekend, as well as important news
about traveling on Metro prior to the event. Customers can also follow
Metro's special Inauguration Day Twitter account @MetroInaug.
- Metro
expects high ridership to Inaugural events. Be prepared for long lines,
full trains and buses and the possibility of intermittent delays due to
large crowds. Dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes.
- Washington
is a walkable city. On Inauguration Day, consider avoiding crowded
stations and trains by walking up to two miles to reach your
destination. View
walking
map. After the ceremony, consider lingering in Downtown DC
until crowding eases.
- Bicycles,
large coolers or containers will not be permitted aboard Metrorail
during Inauguration Weekend (Saturday through Monday). Prohibited items
at Inauguration events include weapons, explosives, backpacks, laser
pointers, alcohol, sticks and poles. For a complete list of prohibited
items, check the website for your event. Also, smoking, eating and
drinking are prohibited within the Metro system, including trains,
buses and stations.
Metro Preparations
- Metro's
planning efforts for Inauguration Day began nearly a year ago and have
included countless meetings -- both internal and with external partners
including the United States Secret Service, Presidential Inaugural
Committee, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies,
the District Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Police and
others.
- Over the past two months, Metro
support departments have worked around the clock -- quietly, behind the
scenes -- to perform hundreds of inspections of critical
infrastructure, including power substations, signal system components,
station equipment and railcars.
- More than 200
of Metro's administrative employees have volunteered to serve as "Metro
Ambassadors" on Inauguration Day. From departments that include
Accounting, Planning, Human Resources and Government Relations, the
Ambassadors will be available at Metro's busiest rail stations to
assist visitors with purchasing fare media and finding their way.
Customers will be able to identify Ambassadors by looking for their
high-visibility reflective vests.
- Metro
Transit Police will augment their full compliment of officers with
nearly 150 police officers from transit systems across the nation. The
additional officers will go through a weekend of training and
familiarization before being deputized to serve on Inauguration Day.
- Metro
will activate its Emergency Operations Command Center at 3 a.m. on
Inauguration Day. The Center will allow high-level representatives from
all mission-critical departments to share information in real time and
to respond to any operational issues that may arise. Metro Transit
Police will provide representation in the US Secret Service's Multi
Agency Command Center, and Metro Media Relations staff will provide
coverage in the US Secret Service's Joint Information Center.
News release issued at 2:37 pm, January 14, 2013.
Jan. 11, 2013
Metro
Commemorative Inauguration SmarTrip sales ramp up
More
than 20,000 sold to date
Metro has sold its 20,000th Commemorative SmarTrip card
for this year's Presidential Inauguration, and the pace of sales is
intensifying. At Metro sales offices, the pace of sales has more
than
doubled over the past week, from an average of about 150 per day at
Metro Center to more than 400 per day this week.
"The demand
for Inaugural SmarTrip cards has steadily increased as we approach
Inauguration Day," said Lynn Bowersox, Metro Assistant General Manager
for Customer Service, Communications and Marketing. "Besides
being an
excellent way to avoid lines at ticket machines on Inauguration Day,
the cards are a wonderful keepsake of this historic day."
The
Commemorative Inaugural SmarTrip features an image of President Obama
and comes preloaded with a one-day pass that allows for unlimited
Metrorail trips on the day it is used. As an added bonus, the
card can
be used as a "flash pass" for unlimited Metrobus travel on Inauguration
Day.
Metro is encouraging residents in the National Capital
Region to purchase the Commemorative Card for their out-of-town
visitors who plan to attend Inauguration festivities.
After the one-day pass is used, the Commemorative cards may be
reloaded and used like any other SmarTrip.
The cards are available online at wmata.com/inauguration,
at Metro Sales Offices or regional transit stores. Customers
ordering
online should do prior to January 15 to ensure delivery by Inauguration
Day.
Metro Sales Offices
Metro Headquarters (Main Entrance)
600 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC
Open weekdays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Metro Center Sales Office
12th and F Street, NW (Metro Center station)
Washington, DC
Open Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Metro Pentagon Sales Office
Pentagon Transit Center
Upper level bus bay
Arlington, VA
Open weekdays 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Northern Metrobus Garage
4615 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC
Open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Metro Anacostia Sales Office
Anacostia Metrorail Station, Mezzanine Level, Bus Bay Exit
1101 Howard Road, SE
Washington, DC 20020
Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.;
Thursdays 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
News release issued at 1:47 pm, January 11, 2013.