How do you plan for a transportation tsunami?
Where do you park 10,000 charter buses? How do you accommodate a possible 1 1/2 million would-be riders on a subway system with a capacity of about 1 million? How do you explain to people who are used to driving everywhere that their cars aren't welcome in downtown Washington? What happens on the roads, at the airports and aboard the trains when millions of visitors flood the capital region to witness history at the Jan. 20 inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States?
Federal government officials and transportation agencies in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia are wrestling with those questions and more in the 2 1/2 weeks that remain before the transfer of power to the first African-American to hold the presidency.
They are contemplating seemingly drastic steps to handle the influx and the security issues that go with it: Metro stations near the Mall will be closed; some highways heading into the city will be turned into bus parking lots; cars will be banned from some bridges; and commuter rail and bus lines will accept only passengers who have bought special tickets in advance.
The plans - many subject to change - are complicated by uncertainty about how many people will show up. Some initially estimated that as many as 5 million visitors would come to Washington. Others now guess that half that many will come, but Washington City Administrator Dan Tangherlini said he's still crafting his plans around the higher forecasts.
"If we start letting down our guard from a planning standpoint, we could be overwhelmed," he said.
The expected record attendance at an inauguration is expected to have an impact that extends far beyond the borders of the District of Columbia.
Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari said the event will have a "ripple effect" that will be felt along the entire Interstate 95 corridor, including the McHenry and Harbor tunnels and the Key Bridge.
Traffic in Baltimore will be affected by Obama's scheduled appearance in the city Jan. 17, as well as an influx of charter buses carrying people who couldn't find affordable rooms - or rooms at all - in Washington.
"We know that there are a lot of people staying in hotel rooms in Baltimore going to the inaugural," said Porcari, whose department has assembled a working group of about 20 high-level officials to plan for the event. He added that it is possible that additional inaugural events could be scheduled in the city.
