Grace Palo

WMAL.com

On Friday, January 20, the Washington, DC Government will be closed in observance of Inauguration Day. There are several preparations in order to help navigate the weekend.

To keep the city running as smoothly as possible, the DC Government has released a new interactive geographic information system (GIS) map that will allow people to find transportation-related information downtown on the National Mall. According to a release from Mayor Bowser’s office, “the map features data such as street closures, parking restrictions, walking routes, ADA shuttle stops, DC Streetcar stops, reunification centers, warming stations, bike amenities and more.” The interactive map can be found here.

Due to the changes regarding schedules, closures and parking restrictions, many city services will be working and operating on alternative schedules:

• DC Public Schools and Libraries will both be closed on Friday, January 20, but will operate as normal on Thursday, January 19, and Monday, January 23.
• All Department of Parks and Recreation facilities will be closed on Friday, January 20, 2017.
• Trash and recycling collections normally made on Thursdays will be made on Friday, January 20. Collections normally made on Fridays will be handled on Saturday, January 21.
• Holiday trees will not be collected on Friday, January 20, and will resume on Monday, January 23. Holiday trees will be collected through January 27 from the curb in front of residents’ homes. Residents disposing of holiday trees and other greenery should strip them of all ornaments and tinsel. Trees and greenery collected after January 27 will be collected with your trash as space permits in the truck.

In terms of parking, DC residents need to be aware of the changes and how parking will be handled on Friday, January 20, throughout the day:

• DC Department of Public Works will ticket and tow for all safety violations such as obstruction of bus stops, driveways, hydrants, crosswalks, and emergency no parking zones.
• Vehicles that violate the ‘Emergency No Parking’ and inaugural-related ‘Reserved Parking’ signs will be ticketed and towed immediately.
• Enforcement of expired meters, residential parking, and rush hour lane restrictions will be suspended on Friday, January 20. Enforcement of all parking restrictions will resume on Saturday, January 21.

On Friday, January 20, parking restrictions will begin at 3:00 a.m., with all streets within the Red Zone or the restricted zone, closed until the end of the Inauguration Day parade.

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