Posted on 01/13/2009 4:24:18 AM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner
Security officials will count the number of spectators arriving for the inaugural parade, and when the crowd reaches capacity, they will turn people away. Officials warned that could happen well before the parade begins between 2:30 and 3 p.m.
"Once the sidewalks on the north and south side of Pennsylvania Avenue reach capacity, at that point we will close our checkpoints so no more folks can get onto the parade route," said Malcolm Wiley, a spokesman for the Secret Service.
He declined to say how many people would have to arrive to reach capacity. But according to a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment, capacity is expected to be between 280,000 and 300,000. That number will include only those people standing on the sidewalks; it does not include the 5,000 people who have tickets to sit on bleachers along the parade route. Officials estimate that at least 1.5 million and possibly more than 3 million people will attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Jan. 20.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
All hat and no cattle.
And dancing with the stars.
Bars are worried that their employees won't be able to make it in as the roads and metro will be overloaded.
So the other 2,700,000 people will just ... stand around in the cold, thinking peaceful thoughts ...
I’m starting to think turnout will be only a fraction of what they’re predicting.
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