If you felt like Metro was less crowded this inauguration than in 2009, you were right. The transit agency recorded 779,787 passenger entries Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Metro set its all-time ridership record on Inauguration Day 2009, recording 1.12 million rail trips.
The transit agency told the AP that part of the reason for the lower ridership levels was that Monday was the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in addition to being Inauguration Day. That cut out many of the daily commuters who use the system and would have used the system regionwide in 2009.
Lower ridership, however, did not mean the day went off without any hitches.
After President Obama's inaugural ceremony concluded, Metro temporarily closed several stations near the National Mall—including L'Enfant Plaza, Federal Center SW, Foggy Bottom and Metro Center—because of crowding. They reopened later once crowding decreased.
What was your experience on Metro on Inauguration Day? Tell us in the comments.
