Guide to Inauguration Day Road Closures, Metro and Metrobus

While fewer people are expected to attend President Obama's second inauguration on Jan. 21, projections still show between 600,000 and 800,000 people will be there. That alone would cause an increase in traffic on Washington, DC's roads, buses, trains and sidewalks.

For safety and security reasons, a number of roads surrounding the National Mall will be closed on Jan. 21. Some Metrorail stations and Metrobus routes will be affected as well.

The District of Columbia's Presidential Inauguration 2013 website details the status of road access into Washington, DC, on Inauguration Day:

• 14th Street Bridge to 14th Street: All traffic will be diverted by MPD onto the Southeast/Southwest freeway beginning at 5:30 a.m.
• Roosevelt Bridge: Traffic coming across the Roosevelt Bridge will be diverted to the Potomac River Expressway (northbound) to Pennsylvania Avenue, or to the Whitehurst Freeway/K Street.  
• Memorial Bridge: Restricted to pedestrians and authorized vehicles only.
• Key Bridge: Open to all traffic.
• Chain Bridge: Open to all traffic.
• South Capitol Street Bridge: Open to all traffic.
• Southeast/Southwest Freeway: Open to all traffic.
• Rock Creek Parkway: Open to traffic (holiday traffic schedule in effect throughout the park).
• Clara Barton Parkway operating under holiday schedule (two-way traffic all day).
• 11th Street bridges: Open to all traffic.
• Sousa Bridge: Open to all traffic from east of the river to the security checkpoint at Capitol Hill.
• East Capitol Street: Open to all traffic. Roadways near RFK Stadium are primary routes for charter tour bus operators.
• Benning Road: Open to all traffic.
• New York Avenue: Open to all traffic.
• 3rd Street Tunnel: Closed to all vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.
• Woodrow Wilson Bridge: Open to all traffic.

The following roads will be closed from 3 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21:

• Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 18th Street NW to the U.S. Capitol
• I Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW
• H Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW
• G Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW
• F Street NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW
• E Street NW from 18th Street NW to 6th Street NW
• D Street NW from 18th Street NW to 6th Street NW
• C Street from 18th Street NW to 2nd Street NE
• Constitution Avenue from 17th Street NW to 2nd Street NE
• Madison Drive NW from 15th Street NW to 3rd Street NW
• Jefferson Drive SW from 15th Street SW to 3rd Street SW
• Independence Avenue from 14th Street SW to 2nd Street NE
• Maryland Avenue SW from 6th Street SW to the U.S. Capitol
• 17th Street from I Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Connecticut Avenue NW from I Street NW to H Street NW
• 16th Street NW from I Street NW to H Street NW
• Vermont Avenue NW from I Street NW to H Street NW
• 15th Street from I Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 14th Street from I Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• New York Avenue NW from 18th Street NW to 12th Street NW
• 13th Street NW from I Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• 12th Street from F Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 11th Street NW from F Street NW to Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• 10th Street NW from F Street NW to Constitution Avenue NW
• 9th Street from F Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 8th Street NW from F Street NW to D Street NW
• 7th Street from F Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 6th Street from F Street NW to Maryland Avenue SW
• 5th Street from D Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 4th Street from D Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 3rd Street from D Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Louisiana Avenue NE between Columbus Circle and Constitution Avenue NW
• Delaware Avenue NE between Columbus Circle and D Street NE
• 1st Street between Columbus Circle and D Street SE
• North Capitol Street between E Street NW and Louisiana Avenue NE
• New Jersey Avenue NW between D Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
• D Street between New Jersey Avenue NW and 2nd Street NE
• 1st Street between D Street NW and Washington Avenue SW
• C Street NW between 2nd Street NW and New Jersey Avenue NW
• 2nd Street NW between C Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
• 2nd Street NE between Massachusetts Avenue NE and C Street SE
• C Street SE between 2nd Street SE and 1st Street SW
• D Street between 1st Street SE and Washington Avenue SW
• Washington Avenue SW between South Capitol Street and Independence Avenue SW
• Independence Avenue between 2nd Street SE and 3rd Street SW
• 3rd Street between E Street SW and D Street NW
• Constitution Avenue between 2nd Street NE and 3rd Street NW
• Maryland Avenue NE between 1st Street NE and 2nd Street NE
• East Capitol Street between 1st Street NE and 2nd Street NE
• 2nd Street SW between Washington Avenue SW and E Street SW
• C Street SW between 3rd Street SW and Washington Avenue SW
• D Street SW between 3rd Street SW and 2nd Street SW
• South Capitol Street between E Street SW and D Street SW
• I-295 South on-ramp from Washington Avenue SW
• I-395 North off-ramp onto Washington Avenue SW
• I-395 North off-ramp onto C Street NW
• I-395 South on-ramp from 2nd Street SW
• I-395 South off-ramp onto 2nd Street SW
• I-395 North on-ramp from Washington Avenue SW
• I-295 North off-ramp onto Washington Avenue SW

The website also lists all of the "emergency no parking zones" in effect between 7 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, and 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22.

Metrorail will see some station closures as well. According to WJLA's website, the following three stations will be closed on Inauguration Day:

• Archives
• Mount Vernon
• Smithsonian

The WJLA website also has a number of maps which help visualize the best routes to Inauguration Day events on Jan. 21.