Did you know the Pope is coming into town THIS WEDNESDAY?!?!? We are about to enter a world of pain.
Although he’s expected to come here for only three days –moving on to New York and Philadelphia by week’s end– the city is expected to come to a grinding halt– more than the regular “grinding halt” that regularly takes hold of the area during the week. The Pope will arrive on Tuesday, September 22nd, but he will paralyze parts of the city starting Wednesday afternoon, September 23. There will be a large mass celebrated by him EN ESPAÑOL at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and it will be the first-ever canonization mass on U.S. soil, in honor of Fray Junípero Serra.
For us here on the Hill, we will be especially affected on Thursday, September 24: this is the day that Pope Francis will visit Capitol Hill. The following streets will be closed starting at midnight and will remain closed until noon that day:
- Constitution Avenue between 2nd Street NE and 3rd Street NW
- Independence Avenue between 3rd Street SW and 2nd Street SE
- 3rd Street NW/SW between C Street NW and C Street SW
- D Street NW/SW between 2nd Street NE and New Jersey Avenue NW
- First Street NE/SE between Massachusetts Avenue NE and D Street SE
- Delaware Avenue NE between Columbus Circle NE and Constitution Avenue NE
- North Capitol Street NE/NW between E Street and Louisiana Avenue NW
- New Jersey Avenue NW between D Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
- South Capitol Street SE/SW between E Street SE/SW and Independence Avenue
- C Street SW between 2nd and 3rd Streets SW
- Second Street SW between Independence Avenue SW and E Street SW
- First Street NE/SE between Massachusetts Avenue NE and D Street SE
At 10 a.m., the Pope will address Congress at the Capitol.
At 11 a.m., Pope Francis will stop at the Reflecting pool. Definitely, avoid that area all morning. The rest of the Pope’s schedule can be found in several places, starting with the official site: I found this link very informative, with handy diagrams.
The main information hub for the Pope’s DC activities can be found at http://pope.dc.gov. The District site has information on street closures, prohibited items and other important things.
If you were thinking that Metro would be your best bet to get around, think again. From Metro alerts:
Metro is preparing for large crowds and extensive traffic detours during Pope Francis’ three-day visit to Washington, D.C. Tuesday, September 22, through Thursday, September 24.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend events during the Papal visit, which will likely result in crowding and delays on trains and buses, and could produce near Inauguration ridership levels at selected stations.
While many regular commuters are expected—and encouraged—to adjust their work schedules or take advantage of telecommuting, Metro will take steps to provide additional train service during non-peak hours Wednesday and Thursday during the Papal visit. (Metro does not have the ability to add significant capacity during the traditional morning and evening rush hours.)
Riders should expect significant crowding aboard trains and at rail stations near Papal events. Due to crowds following Papal events, riders may need to wait extended periods of time–possibly hours–before re-entering the Metrorail system at certain stations. In addition, bus customers should expect extensive detours and service adjustments as a result of events and associated road closures. All riders are encouraged to allow extra travel time during the Papal visit.
Metro is continuing to work with its external partners to plan for the Mass at the Basilica on Wednesday afternoon, which is expected to place extraordinary ridership pressure on the Red Line at the height of rush hour. Brookland Station, the closest station to the event, is the smallest Red Line station with the ability to accommodate fewer than 5,000 boardings per hour under normal conditions. In order to provide alternates to Brookland Station for the more than 25,000 ticketed guests, Metro and the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) are developing plans for supplemental shuttle bus service from two adjacent Red Line stations: Fort Totten and Rhode Island Avenue. Details regarding shuttle bus service will be provided at a later date, but guests attending the Basilica event are encouraged to consider travel options other than Brookland Station. In addition, Brookland Station may be designated as “exit only” for a period of time prior to the Papal event, and “entry only” following the event. This step will effectively double the number of riders that can be accommodated per hour.
Anyone planning to use Metro during the Papal visit is strongly encouraged to purchase fare media in advance. Each traveler needs his or her own SmarTrip or paper farecard, which should be loaded – in advance – with sufficient value to pay for all planned travel. Riders are encouraged to purchase SmarTrip cards in advance to avoid potentially long lines at station vending machines. Riders can purchase SmarTrip cards online prior to September 14 at smartrip.wmata.com/storefront.
Good luck, everyone.