WASHINGTON -- Those using the rail system to get to work on Inauguration Day should leave their homes at least an hour earlier than normal, Metro's chief executive said.
In an interview Tuesday with WTOP-FM, John Catoe stopped short of asking businesses to close Jan. 20 but stressed that getting around downtown Washington would be very difficult.
The inauguration will be "the most challenging day in the history of Metro," he said.
The rail system will be able to move about 1 million passengers for the inauguration and hundreds of thousands more on buses, Catoe said. Those living near downtown should consider biking or walking.
To handle the crowds, Metro will operate on a rush-hour schedule from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Catoe said he will propose that Metro's board charge rush-hour fares on Inauguration Day to help recover some of the costs of handling the crowd.
Copyright The Associated Press
