Inauguration Security – We’re In The Zone

Seems unlikely to me that they’ll manage to keep buses away from residential buildings when they’re mixed in or predominant in some of those areas. I would expect it to be a feel good measure that the district will apologize for later.

As long as the buses aren’t allowed to idle or play their radios loudly, I’m cool with the bus parking. I’m more concerned with the buses yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalks.

Also, there is a huge empty lot across from City Vista on K Street between 4th and 5th. It is privately owned but would make a fabulous bus parking area. Who is using this space that day?

Somehow, I don’t feel more secure.

Does this mean that we can’t park in front of our houses or even within our own neighborhood?

Do these rules apply for the inauguration day only or for that entire weekend?

Hmm…I’d always assumed most of NW DC was security zone.

After reading the other 35%’s inauguration post, it would seem that these parking restrictions will only be in effect from the evening of Jan 19 through Jan 20.

If anyone did a follow-up on the meeting they had a few weeks ago, we all probably could be more informed. I had to work that day, and suspect many others did. But surely there is someone that reads this blog that attended that meeting. Chime in?

i went to the meeting, it was pretty informative. The big pieces… between 5 and 8 am they will be sweeping the neighborhood with dogs and no one will be allowed outdoors or into the secured zone. At some point they feel the area will probably fill up and wont allow any further entry to the secured zones including residents who may have traveled outside the perimeter. No on street parking at all in our area(buses, residents, etc). No idea when they will lift the secured zone.

Danny–

So to clarify: If we our in our condo and go out for some reason, and then try to come back into our condo, which is located inside the zone (think Lafayette, Market Square, etc.), they will not let you in the zone?

On another note, I am at Mather. Last night (new year’s eve) I woke up around 1:30AM to noise in the alley (facing the nightclub ‘ultrabar’). Saw some paramedics taking a lady out on a stretcher. Another sad thing, there were firetrucks and the ambulance, but they couldn’t get down the alley to the back of the club because of all the illegally parked cars (up against the ywca). Can somebody in the know or with power please enforce this!? Seems if there is ever an incident where they need the big firetruck or ambulance in the back alley, we’ll have an “uh-oh” moment of epic proportions.

PQ Guy – I don’t know for sure, but wouldn’t be surpised if you were prohibited from returning to your condo if you leave the area and try to retun.

I had an incident about two years ago when Bush was at a function in PQ and they had closed off the street in front of my building because it was part of the backup “evacuation” route.

I had gone out to dinner and when returning made the naïve mistake of stepping over the yellow tape they had used to cordon off the street (about 100 feet from my front door) as I pointed to my building and said “I live right there”.

I was immediately staring at a drawn weapon and ordered back on the other side of the yellow tape where several of us had to stand for about a half hour until Bush left his event.

Can we still park within the security zone? Where are we supposed to move our cars too? I normaly utilize the zone 2 street parking on my block.

if it is true that people will not be allowed outside between 5-8am, i would hope someone is putting out some sort of written official notice and being sure everyone in the ‘red zone’ is aware of these rules.

if nothing else, our condo board presidents should be gathering all pertinent info and being sure it’s disseminated to the residents.

i have such a high level of excitement, curiosity and nervousness all bundled up together for inauguration day. i’d love to go poke around outside to see what’s going on but i’m also tempted to stay inside for fear that once i go out, i won’t be able to get back home!