Inauguration Question (Washington: 2009, house, buying)

[michiganmom48]

This concert will most likley be standing room only. I'm hearing chairs and blankets but is that really likley?

[saganista]

Coming north on I-95, the first Metro station you would hit would be Franconia-Springfield (Blue Line) just before where 95 hits 495. There are maps of the local streets for how to get off the highway and to the station on the Metro Home Page linked to above. Basically, you want to turn right off of I-95 onto Route-7900, but with everything recently rebuilt in that area, I'm not sure of the exact logistics anymore. In any case, it's not very far down 7900 to the station. There are a little over 5,000 parking spaces at the station itself, but it could be full. I would expect that there will be lots of alternate parking in the vicinity of the station also. There are certainly tons of spaces in and around the nearby Springfield Mall, but parking would sort of be Crapshoot #1.

Assuming you got parked, made it to the station, and got onto a train, you'd get off at Foggy Bottom. There is only one exit there, and at the top of the escalator, you'll be facing 23rd Street. Head to your right down 23rd Street. It's about a mile to the Lincoln Memorial, maybe a little less.

As for the concert seating, the usual for such events is sort of like those films of MLK giving the I Have a Dream speech...folks find places to stand or sit as they can all along the Mall stretching back toward the Washington Monument. That's all the way back at 15th Street, so there's room for a lot of people. Then again, at least a lot of people are going to come...

[michiganmom48]

Thanks so much. We looked what you said up and my husband thinks he understands where that is. I thought I read somewhere that the bridges would be closed Sunday from 5:00am to 5:00 pm.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by michiganmom48

Thanks so much. We looked what you said up and my husband thinks he understands where that is. I thought I read somewhere that the bridges would be closed Sunday from 5:00am to 5:00 pm.

Something like that, yeah, the bridges will be closed at some point during the day on Sunday. You can do the same sort of thing, go to Springfield and hop on the metro. You can use the Metro's website to figure out what stop you'd want to get off at (Foggy Bottom is probably the closest to the Lincoln Memorial, but then Federal Triangle and Smithsonian are just off the Mall closer to 15th Street).

[michiganmom48]

Well we are going to try it. I just have this need to just go there if only to just feel the excitment and hope.I want my children to feel that as well. I wosh we could just drive into Washington and park but it looks like the Metro is the way to go. They don't start until 7:00am , so I hope we can get on it and over the bridges. I too don't see anything that says you can't take a stroller to this concert. I went out and bought a cheap easy up aND EASY down compact one.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by michiganmom48

Well we are going to try it. I just have this need to just go there if only to just feel the excitment and hope.I want my children to feel that as well. I wosh we could just drive into Washington and park but it looks like the Metro is the way to go. They don't start until 7:00am , so I hope we can get on it and over the bridges. I too don't see anything that says you can't take a stroller to this concert. I went out and bought a cheap easy up aND EASY down compact one.

If you have a need, then it's worth it to come (or at least try). Just walking around the Mall today it was exciting. As for the stroller, I haven't heard anything about forbidden items (especially strollers), so you should be fine. Good luck!

[mettler]

look for me and say 'hello'..ha

[michiganmom48]

I 'm ready fore alot of the people who will I;m sure attend this free concert. Our worry and my husband is looking on lone again is not really knowing when to leave here. The metro and I'm not sure if that is a bus or train doesn't start running until 7:00am. I told my husband we should try and get there well before that so if there are a lot of people we are spending hours waiting there. We have never lived in a big city so to go anywhere and we have been in New York we just drove. So we wish we could just leave in a few hours drive into Washington and get a parking space and wait it out until we need to head over to the concert which I guess opens at 8:00am. But my husband thinks even if we did get in and find a place to park could wew ever get back out.

[mettler]

the nice thing is that you are taking a metro from the beginning..so, you should be able to get a seat and enjoy the ride...coming back might be a little messy. When I drove on Georgia Ave this morning past Wheaton and Glenmont neither of those were packed with cars...might be different tomorrow..

[michiganmom48]

Thanks to all that helped out and gave ideas. We are for sure taking them. For those who said DON'T COME Tuesday to those who have gave diections to come tomorrow. Hopefully we will make it and the reason is while watching this on TV today even with no concert or big event you could see the excitment people had. Because we really don't live that far it is worth coming for that. I rather have it be warmer but we lived all our lives in Michigan so we have the coats. Anyway if it was warmer more people would come.