Redskins fans snarl traffic at rush hour

Evening rush-hour commuters battled long delays on the Capital Beltway last night as fans flocked to FedEx Field to watch the Washington Redskins take on the Minnesota Vikings in the season's first Monday Night Football game.

The kickoff was at 7 p.m., two hours earlier than in years past. But the earlier kickoff mixed D.C.-area commuter traffic with thousands of Redskins fans and in some cases baseball fans who headed to Camden Yards to watch the Baltimore Orioles take on the New York Yankees. That game also started at 7 p.m.

Traffic was "terrible," said John Englehart, 45, who with his son Grant, 13, came to see the game from Chambersburg, Pa. "It took an hour and 15 minutes just to get to D.C. from Chambersburg, and then two hours to get to the stadium. It was all backed up."

Bill Ball, 51, from Fort Washington, agreed, to some extent. "Traffic was awful, but for me it wasn't too bad because I left early," he said.

Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) spokesman Chuck Gischlar said the agency warned motorists, football fans and baseball fans to plan ahead for heavy traffic in Prince George's County on game night.

"But we know people like to drive and tailgate, so we are asking them to leave early for the game," Mr. Gischlar said.

Tailgaters are required to arrive at the games more than two hours early.

Officials also encouraged fans to use the Orange Line to the Landover Metro station or the Blue Line to the Morgan Boulevard Metro station.

Some did not listen.

Brad Stover, 42, of Tysons Corner, said it took him two hours and 30 minutes to get to FedEx Field last night.

"It was all the accidents on the George Washington Parkway and people clogging the alternate routes," said Mr. Stover, who came late to the game. "Yes, I should have taken the Metro. Next time, I will listen to my wife."

Those who listened to earlier warnings fared better.

"For me it wasn't too bad," said Diane Dawes of Lanham. "I came the back way, and I'm not telling what it is or else everyone would know."

Arena Drive near the stadium opened three hours before the game to accommodate fans. By 7:30 p.m., most of the parking lots around the stadium were full.

"We had a little trouble finding parking," said Marlon Perez, 52, from the District.

Yesterday afternoon, SHA officials suspended road construction projects along the Beltway, or Interstate 495, to alleviate traffic woes. They also added more highway patrol crews to help move disabled vehicles off the roadways to keep traffic moving.

Officials also worried about the possibility of drunken drivers on the roads after the game.

Officials advised drivers heading to the Redskins' game to take Route 202 to Route 214. They also activated message signs to advise drivers not going to the game to take alternate routes, such as Route 29, to avoid the gridlock on the Beltway.

Cpl. Stephen Pacheco, a spokesman for Prince George's County police, said all officers were working 12-hour shifts because of the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He said they increased police presence at the FedEx Field above normal levels.