Metro is gearing up for thousands of visitors at the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial later this month, by suspending all track work, extending its hours and selling commemorative rail passes. The transit agency plans to open the rail system two hours early at 5 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28, to accommodate the 11 a.m. dedication. Metro officials are not sure how many people to expect but they are looking at recent rallies and the National WWII Memorial opening in 2004 as guides, Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said.
Attendees should be prepared to walk – and hike up escalators because the agency warns that it likely will turn them off for safety reasons. No bicycles will be allowed on trains that day. The closest Metro stations to the memorial, located on north of the Tidal Basin, are Smithsonian, Foggy Bottom and Arlington Cemetery. Organizers are encouraging people to use McPherson Square, Farragut North or Farragut West, or L’Enfant Plaza, as well.
Metrobuses may face detours due to street closures.
Riders are encouraged to buy enough fare to cover their return trips or buy commemorative $9 one-day unlimited ride passes. (The passes only make sense financially for riders who plan to take more than three rail trips that day, though.) — Kytja Weir
