Mall east of 14th St. reaches capacity

WASHINGTON - In the hours before President-elect Barack Obama's swearing in, the U.S. Park Police Department told anyone attending the inauguration to enter the National Mall west of 14th Street because the east side of the Mall had reached capacity.

At the same time, the long lines and chaos on the National Mall have been compounded by a threat from a terror organization to disrupt the inauguration, WTOP's National Security Correspondent J.J. Green reports.

According to a joint FBI/Homeland Security bulletin issued Monday night, law enforcement and intelligence officials are investigating reports that the Somali-based Al-Shabab terror organization, which reportedly has a cell based in the U.S., might try to travel to Washington to launch an attack. A DHS spokesman says the information is of limited specificity and uncertain credibility.

Mall East of 14th Closed

Word that the National Mall east of 14th Street reached capacity came to D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty's office just before 9 a.m.

People are being directed to the west side of 14th Street, an area WTOP's Mark Segraves reports is filling up.

Because there are so many people downtown, the Metropolitan Police Department is no longer allowing pedestrian access to the National Mall from the 14th Street Bridge. Access can still be gained via the Memorial Bridge (the whole bridge) and the Key Bridge (on sidewalks and paths).

Along the parade route, there are "long, long lines" to get through security, Segraves reports.

Ticketholders Unable to Reach Seats

Some people with tickets who have waited three to four hours to get through the colored security gates close to the Capitol are worried they might miss the festivities.

One man who called WTOP from C Street and Louisiana Avenue near the Purple gate says things are "very disorganized."

WTOP has received similar complaints from Third and Independence at the Silver Gate. Officials at the Joint Information Center have told WTOP of problems at the Blue and Yellow Gates as well.

The center says law enforcement officials are at every checkpoint. They say people who may be hundreds of yards away from the gates might be able to see, but for many, where they are now is where they will be when the swearing-in happens.

Metro Station Closed

Metro's Federal Triangle station is closed because of overcrowding at the street level. It will reopen after the Inaugural parade.

Person Struck by Train

A 68-year-old woman has been struck by a Metro train at Gallery Place. She is still alive and will be OK.

A station manager tells WTOP's Rahul Bali that the woman lost her balance.

Metro says the train struck the woman about 9:25 a.m.

Metro spokesman Doug Karas says it's not clear whether crowding on the platforms is to blame for the woman falling on to the tracks.

Trains are now moving through Gallery Place in both directions, but there are delays.

Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein recommends people exit at Farragut North and Judiciary Square and walk to Mall.

Metro is asking people to step back from the platforms 2 feet.

Also, the transit agency is urging people not to hold open the doors of Metro railcars. Doing so damages the cars. Four railcars had to be taken out of service, but have since been put back in.

Metro Crowds

It could be a record-setting day for the subway.

Here are the Metro ridership numbers by the hour:

• 6 a.m. -- 104,751
• 7 a.m. -- 207,335
• 8 am. -- 318,422
• 9 a.m. -- 409,828
• 10 a.m. -- 469,873
• 11 a.m. -- 510,590

Vehicles Towed

More than 100 cars have been towed from private parking lots near Metro stations so far, Montgomery County Police tell WTOP A police spokeswoman says towing companies had to remove those cars from lots at shopping centers or apartment complexes near Metro stations. If you come back and don't see your car, check the signs posted or you can check with Montgomery County Police non-emergency number 301-279-8000.

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