Your NATO Questions Answered

Related Links More Q & A: Part 1 | Part 3 Send In More Questions Street and Office Closings Map

By John P. Martin
Washingtonpost.com Staff Writer

We asked for your questions about the NATO summit, and you sent us plenty. Some of the answers are easy. Some are not.

When the presidents, prime ministers and other dignitaries of 44 nations converge on a single city to celebrate a military alliance that happens to be engaged in a bombing campaign, they're more than a little hesitant to telegraph their itineraries and travel routes.

But we've done our best and we'll continue to update and add to this list of questions over the next few days. Here's the first batch:

Q: How will the Andrews Air Force Base area be affected by this meeting? – Vicki M.

A: Some dignitaries will land at Andrews and motorcades are likely to disrupt traffic near the base. But no road closures have been posted yet.

Q: There are rumors that the 14th Street, Constitution Avenue [Roosevelt], and Memorial Bridges will be closed all day Friday. Is the rumor true? – Kathleen O.

A: "They're not shutting down the bridges per se," said Kerri Payne, deputy operations chief for the D.C. Office of Emergency Management.

But temporary blockages might be possible as motorcades whisk dignitaries in and about town. Payne suggests avoiding the 14th Street bridge altogether, because inbound traffic will be diverted onto Independence Avenue as comes off the bridge.

Q: With all these people arriving, should I expect to get into the city by dawn for parking at my place of employment (I park on 19th off Constitution)? – Karen S.

A: Okay, according to the almighty road closings map, you're on the fringe of the trouble zone. And the trouble should start in earnest on Thursday. Maybe you're bold or smart or crazy enough to try it. If you park in a lot, call ahead and make sure it'll be open. If you park on the street, expect the hunt for a spot to be longer than usual.

Q: I am planning a family trip into D.C. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Can you please let me know what will and will not be open so I can plan my trip accordingly? Will we be able to walk the streets or will they all be closed to foot traffic also? What streets will be closed? Will everything be open on Saturday? – Barnes family

A: In a nutshell, most of the popular tourist attractions and downtown restaurants will remain open. Several museums will be closed, but not the big three. Pedestrian traffic will be restricted only in a two-block area. Traffic could be troublesome. Expect temporary road closures, but the absence of more than 100,000 downtown workers Friday might ease things. Protests are also expected near the Washington Monument on Friday and in Lafayette Park on Saturday. Have fun, Barneses!

Q: Will I be able to turn right at 14th Street and Independence Avenue and drive to 4th Street and Independence? – Bernadette K.

A: Not only should you be able to, you won't have a choice. Inbound traffic at 14th Street will be diverted to Independence.

Q: I work at 1800 K Street NW. Our building is open. How much congestion will there be on Friday? Should I just not bother coming to work? And just how safe will it be? – Avis C.

A: Hmmm, looking for a pass to stay home, eh? "Look boss, washingtonpost.com TOLD me not to come to work." We won't fall for that one. As for your second question, security will be unprecedented. See a recent Post story.

Q: Will any or all of the buildings in the Federal Center Southwest Complex close or be affected by the summit? – Chester M.

A: That depends on how you define the complex. Buildings north and east of 7th and E streets are within the affected zone. Workers at Housing and Urban Development, for instance, have a day off, but employees at the General Services Administration building, just kitty-corner, do not.

Q: What's the best way to get to the Pentagon from Severna Park this Friday a.m.? – Coral R.

A: Do you have a helicopter?

Q: The map on your Web site does a great job of illustrating the street closings, but does not indicate when they will start: Thursday night or Friday morning? What time? – Jeff W.

A: The text above the map now notes that closings will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday and last through midnight Sunday. But the temporary disruptions caused by motorcades are likely to begin as soon as Wednesday.

Q: My husband works at the Bureau of Engraving and he works overtime on the weekends. He has been asked if he would like to work this coming Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. He would have to drive because the Metro does not open that early on Saturdays. Would he be able to get into or out of D.C. on this coming Saturday around the area of the bureau? – Bunny P.

A: Barely. He won't be able to drive south on 14th to reach the bureau, at Raoul Wallenberg Place and C Street SW. But traffic on other routes should be light at that time on a Saturday.

Q: My office is located by the Farragut North Metro station. Should I give my employees the day off? Will the Farragut North station be closed?– Elena

A: Your employees will hate us but, no, the only station closed during the summit will be Federal Triangle.

Q: I work at 1501 Pennsylvania Ave. (across from the Treasury Department). I enter my building at 730 15th St. Will I be able to get into my building? – Frances D.

A: You will not be able to enter your building without Secret Service credentials if it is within the Federal Triangle zone bounded in part by 15th and Pennsylvania. (To the map!) If this is the case, you probably have been notified. If you're a non-essential federal employee, you have the day off anyway.

Q: My office is at 1522 K St., right next to the Sheraton Carlton where we are sure many dignitaries will be staying. We are located about two blocks from the White House. Will K Street be closed on Friday for traffic? – Cindy

A: Nope.

Q: How will the summit affect the bus routes, specifically the 30 buses down Pennsylvania Avenue? Do they plan to run more frequently to make up for the disruption? – Jeanne S.

A: Metro does expect disruptions and some rerouting. For a full explanation, see Metro's Web page.

Q: I will be in D.C. this weekend to visit my children, one in Bethesda and the other in D.C. around 14th and R. What can I expect Friday evening going between the two? – Robert D.

A: Probably nothing too painful. Keep between the sibs' places and you'll be in a summit-free zone all weekend.

Q: How many visitors, total, are expected for the summit? – Eric M.

A: Start with 1,700 delegates. Then add 3,000 journalists. As yet undetermined are the tens of thousands of visitors who planned a Washington weekend long before the summit made it into the headlines. (April is traditionally the capital’s busiest tourist month.)

Q: My boss said he wouldn't mind closing the office (we're at 13th and I NW) but he couldn't think of any reasons to do so. So if we can find an answer, he'll close the office. – Kate M.

A: Try this: "Boss, it’ll be sunny and 75 degrees, parking will be even more horrendous than usual, everyone else in the neighborhood gets the day off, and we promise to work extra, extra hard next week!" If it works, let us know immediately so we can try it on our boss.

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