Posted on 06/08/2004 1:48:52 PM PDT by Heatseeker
For immediate release: June 8, 2004
Metro to provide shuttle buses Wednesday and Thursday nights to allow mourners to pay respects to former President Reagan
Metrobus, MetroAccess service also impacted by funeral Metro officials will provide free shuttle buses from RFK Stadium to the U.S. Capitol late on Wednesday and Thursday nights (June 9 and 10) to enable mourners to pay respects to former President Ronald Reagan as his casket lies in state in the U.S Capitol Rotunda. The free shuttle buses will operate from 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday and then again from 11:30 p.m. on Thursday to 6 a.m. on Friday. The shuttle bus service will complement the Metrorail system, which will be open as usual from 5:30 a.m. to midnight during the week.
Three 60-seat Metrobuses will be used to shuttle mourners every 15 minutes between the stadium and the Capitol to ensure the public is able to access the U.S. Capitol building--where the body of the nation's 40th President will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda from 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 9, through 7 a.m. Friday, June 11. More buses will be put on the road if the demand warrants the additional service.
Parking at RFK Stadium also will be free and will be monitored by the Metropolitan Police Department to ensure safety. An exact location for pick-up and drop-off has not yet been determined.
The additional service is expected to cost Metro approximately $2,000 to $3,000. Officials do not know how many mourners will take advantage of the special late-night shuttle service.
To honor the former President, Metro officials also draped black bunting today along a portion of the mezzanine at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail Station in Arlington. The station, which serves both the Blue and Yellow Lines, was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail station in 2002
The week's events will also impact Metrobus and MetroAccess. Metrobuses will detour around several major road closures, and MetroAccess customers with a subscription to take a regular Friday trip will have to call to schedule them, due to the federal holiday as Ronald Reagan's body will lie in state and then the nation observes a federal holiday for the official state funeral of the nation's 40th President. The body of the former President is scheduled to arrive in downtown Washington, DC, across from The White House on Wednesday, June 9. A formal funeral procession to the U.S. Capitol will take place once the casket is transferred onto a horse-drawn caisson at 1600 Constitution Avenue. The caisson will proceed along Constitution Avenue at 6 p.m. to the U.S. Capitol for the state funeral ceremony. Constitution Avenue will be closed to traffic during that time.
In addition to Constitution Avenue being closed from 16th Street to the Capitol, several other nearby feeder roads will also be closed, requiring approximately 20 Metrobus routes to be detoured around the area of the road closures.
On Friday, June 11, the casket will be moved from the U.S. Capitol at 10:30 a.m. to Washington National Cathedral for the 11:30 a.m. national funeral service. Any road closures associated with the moving of the casket to the Cathedral may result in brief delays for Metrobuses. Metrorail service will not be impacted and will operate on its normal schedule.
Because Friday is considered a national holiday for the observance of the death of the former President, MetroAccess service automatically cancels all regular subscription trips for that day, instead customers are required to call MetroAccess at 301-562-5360 if they wish to schedule a trip for Friday.
For more information on how this week's memorial events will impact Metrobus and MetroAccess, visit www.metrooopensdoors.com.
Traffic problems are likely throughout the ceremonial period. Wednesday evening's rush hour may be the worst as the coffin is moved at 6 p.m. from Andrews into the District. It will be transferred from a hearse to a horse-drawn caisson for a procession that is to start near 16th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, head down Pennsylvania Avenue and arrive at the Capitol about 6:50 p.m.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25121-2004Jun8.html
All I have read so far is that the casket will be taken by "motorcade" to the cathedral, but no route.
I think you are right; they expected 50,000; when they stop tonight it will be 100,000+; they have extended the hours again to 7:30 PDT.
D.C. says they are expecting 120,000? In their dreams.
Three? That's 720 people per hour during the night. Much less than in California. Maybe there are other ways to get there after midnight than this free bus system.
They ended up using 50 buses in California. Maybe the East Coast bus drivers don't want to be in DC in the middle of the night.
Nope! I just caught the evening news from the NBC affiliate in Washington, WRC-TV. Metrorail runs a normal schedule. Can you believe it?
They also reported much of Constitution Aveune would be closed from 3 PM; people who have tried to stake out good places from which to view the procession "have been told to move along". (Not sure how long this will last.)
They basically exerpted the WMATA press release I got emailed about buses from RFK Stadium (Stadium/Armory metro stop) and confirmed parking there is free "and Washington police will make sure your car is safe" (remember folks this is the town that thought Marion Barry was an honest mayor).
Nevertheless that still looks like your best bet if you want to pay your respects late at night.
Air quality is already at Code Orange (moderate level of danger). Temperatures in the low 90's, heat index upper 90's. I am planning for any sellers of food and water/fluids who are around to be overwhelmed, but maybe we'll get lucky and they will have lots of water at RFK.
According to WRC, they are thinking 100K people. Heck, they've had that many at the Reagan Library!
BTW, they seem to be rather vague about where the shuttlebuses are dropping off. Since the whole area around the Capitol will be heavily secured, be prepared to do some walking and waiting at that end as well.
One final thought. Most of the information about arrangements published by the Washington DC media is written with the locals and Federal workers in mind - not us! The parts of DC you'll travel through and be in are high-crime and not disposed to be friendly to conservatives.
I don't want to discourage anyone from going - I sure am - but just to be on your toes.
If these guys have ANY real capability on the eastern seaboard, they'll show.
And the world will be transformed, once again, by the Gipper.
Think 9-11 was a big deal? If they do any harm here it will be the sure destruction of every Arab state that ever even thought of supporting terrorists.
Yet, I fear that's their eventual goal. MOST of those countries have chilled.....while maintaining contacts and capabilities. Still, it's predominatly secular rule now and binny&co. can't stand it. They'd like to have us do the hard work for them.........and, that we will.
It would be like a bunch of thugs robbing and cutting the throat of our grandfather who was out for a Sunday stroll.....each of ours individually. And I think these bastards are rotten enuff to take a shot if they can.
I would never even dream of driving into DC tomorrow.
If we go, wife and I, we will take the train from Vienna, VA. and slowly walk.
I am amazed that they are doing the caisson walk from 6 PM to 7 PM. But it sure makes sense considering the temperature and traffic.
It is even going to be difficult meeting up with other Freepers. Just getting there is the objective.
I am not standing in no lines for hours. I will give my respects and go and get a great steak at the Orleans House.
Also, according to WTOP report, "Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey urged the federal government to close early Wednesday to help clear out the city before Reagan's body arrives."
Federal workers, as of news reports 1/2 hour ago are being allowed to take "unscheduled leave" tomorrow, without prior approval from their supervisors.
Further Wednesday afternoon traffic advisory - The procession from Andrews Air Force Base will begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday and will go from Suitland Road to Suitland Parkway, onto Interstate-295 north to the 11th Street Bridge. From there it goes onto southbound Interstate-395, over the 14th Street Bridge into Virginia to the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway, then back into Washington over the Memorial Bridge. It will conclude at 16th Street and Constitution Avenue, where Reagan's body will be transferred to a horse-drawn caisson. Intersecting roads will be closed and reopened as the motorcade passes. Ramsey also warned to expect unannounced motorcades in the city through Friday, with all the dignitaries expected.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
I'll be bringing my own camera crew, and of course, being an elitist, I won't be waiting on any lines to pay MY respects--John Fraud Kerry.
Any news on the route for Friday morning?
WRC-TV basically said the same thing. And I don't think your typical Washington bureaucrat needs much prompting to avoid a day's work.
But the lefties have posted that they will have a "demonstration" 2 blocks south of the National Cathedral on Friday from 10am until 3pm.
Hopefully Chief Ramsey won't be there standing with them, as he so often does with the lefties - to prove he respects their right to free speech.
Especially when they call it "liberal leave."
If I was a liberal who knew hundreds of thousands of people who loved President Reagan were on the way, I'd leave too. ;)
Too bad Metro isn't running their normal "evening" schedule through the night to accommodate the crowds. 3 buses from RFK??!! Who planned that??
RFK Stadium for parking -- I'd do so at your own risk. You might not find your car afterwards. Streets east of the Capitol are not a good place to be late night. Leave yourself "enough room" from the car in front of you in case you need to hit the gas and get away if someone approaches your vehicle. Best bet might be to park near Pentagon City or Pentagon and pay the cab fare.
And...don't ever eat any unpackaged fresh food from the trailer-like food vendor stands along the Mall. Why: Ever wonder "why" you never see the vendors leave or go to a porta-potty nearby? (Hint: the buckets/coffee cans inside the stands ain't for cleaning water). Big news story on this in the mid-1990's about sanitation, etc.
From a law enforcement friend (uniformed USSS) -- ALWAYS carry at least a $20 bill on you (either in a pocket or throw away wallet) -- if confronted, you can throw it in another direction and maybe avoid getting shot as the thief won't be PO'ed that you didn't have any $$$ on your person. Stay with a crowd and act like you know where you're going or what you're doing and you shouldn't have any problems.
Ahhhh.... Excellent. Thanks so much.
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