The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Commentary

    Suicide pact

  • World

    Italian arrests tied to '08 Mumbai attacks

  • Culture

    DESIGN: Exhibits traces decades-old fashion, fabric trends

  • Investigation

    Anglers serve time for black-market rockfish trade

  • World

    Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran

  • Politics

    ANALYSIS: Obama takes a bow, but applause is weak

  • Politics

    Republican governors: 'Opt out' unworkable

Home » News » Editor Favorites

Friday, January 16, 2009

District braces for road chaos

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

Inauguration 'largest event'

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • Letters on a three dimensional inauguration seal are fitted in preparation of Barack Obama's inauguration.
Associated Press
  • Army honor guard members march as they rehearse at the Capitol during for Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama as president. Associated Press

More Editor Favorites Stories

  • Suicide pact
  • Italian arrests tied to '08 Mumbai attacks
  • DESIGN: Exhibits traces decades-old fashion, fabric trends
  • Anglers serve time for black-market rockfish trade

By Deborah Simmons

Road-closing plans for Tuesday's inaugural ceremony could extend to Interstate 95 and other major highways, going well beyond the unprecedented measures already announced with the prospect for traffic headaches beyond anything ever experienced, officials say.

From a security viewpoint, the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama will be "the largest event ever in the world," FBI official Joseph Persichini Jr. told a group of security professionals at a briefing last week.

Virtually every media organization in the world has applied for credentials to cover the swearing-in of the 44th president, he added.

Estimates call for close to 2 million visitors, which would make the inaugural crowd the largest ever to descend on the U.S. capital. Publicly announced plans already call for closing three Potomac River bridges and two interstate highways feeding into the District from Virginia.

Mr. Persichini told the professionals, including a representative from The Washington Times, that authorities might also close parts of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Interstate 295, two major freeways skirting the city's eastern edge. They may also close ramps on and off of I-95 -- the main interstate running from Maine to Florida -- as it runs through the eastern Maryland suburbs.

Certain feeder roads within the District but miles from the downtown area where the inauguration will take place could also be closed at times, said Mr. Persichini, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington field office. He added that there have been no credible threats of an attack on Mr. Obama.

Other facilities will be stretched to the breaking point, with the U.S. Postal Service announcing it will not deliver mail in some ZIP codes and mass-transit officials saying any buses that break down in central Washington will be left where they are until Wednesday at the earliest.

Employees at many downtown offices have been advised to get as close as they can by car or mass transit and complete their commutes on foot.

The security clampdown begins Sunday with restrictions on access to the Mall -- the site of a gala free concert -- and will peak between 3 a.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, when the major bridges and highways will be closed to private vehicles.

Some roads affected by the swearing-in and the parade will be closed at 1 p.m. Monday for a security sweep.

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Please login or register to post a comment

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. Health bill could get 34-hour reading in Senate
  2. Work site arrests of illegals fall dramatically
  3. Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty
  4. Massive bill steals show in health care debate
  5. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
More Top Stories »
  1. 19 gang members face racketeering charges
  2. Report: D.C. schools chief Rhee mishandled sexual misconduct scandal
  3. EXCLUSIVE: Taliban chief hides in Pakistan
  4. EXCLUSIVE: Hoffman considering recount claim
  5. PRUDEN: Obama bows, the nation cringes

Most Shared

  1. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  2. Report: D.C. schools chief Rhee mishandled sexual misconduct scandal
  3. PRUDEN: Obama bows, the nation cringes
  4. Faint Shroud of Turin text proves artifact real, book says
  5. EDITORIAL: Chicago, Afghan-style
More Top Stories »
  1. Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty
  2. Massive bill steals show in health care debate
  3. Socialist or vast expansion?
  4. PRUDEN: The Third World and Obama
  5. Bowing to 'world opinion'

Most Commented

  1. PRUDEN: The Third World and Obama
  2. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  3. Army lacks guidelines to deal with jihadists in ranks
  4. Senate health care bill creates new marriage penalty
  5. Dems up pressure on health bill's holdouts
More Top Stories »
  1. EDITORIAL: Get ready to bomb Iran
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Taliban chief hides in Pakistan
  3. Work site arrests of illegals fall dramatically
  4. Obama's approval rating falls below 50%
  5. Unforeseen climate 'crisis'

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Question of the day

White House officials and Senate Democrats met in private three times last week to craft health care legislation. Do you think these discussions should be more public?

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

  • Belief Blog

    Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • Redskins 360

    Rookie Williams hurts ankle

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.