DC is about to feel the impact of the White House return to office (RTO) order on Monday. Residents should brace for traffic gridlock in the Navy Yard area in particular.
The Washington Navy Yard is requiring an all in-person return to work Monday, Feb. 10. In an email sent to District officials Monday, US Navy officials indicated that most of their nearly 17,000 employees are expected to report in person.
On Friday, District agencies were on a conference call trying to manage the tremendous increase in traffic that is expected. Residents are encouraged to use metro and avoid driving if possible.
The return to work en mass is in compliance with a White House directive instructing federal agencies to “to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis.” President Donald Trump said that employees who did not return to work full time would be terminated, the Hill reported Jan. 29.
“We recognize this is a challenging time for many DMV residents and value our relationship with the city,” a US Navy representative said in an email to city officials sharing details of the return.
Up to 10,000 Cars to Enter Navy Yard Gates
Officials say 16,800 employees could report to work Feb. 10. Those with knowledge of the situation say that not all of these were in-office even prior to the pandemic.
The Navy is expecting that between 8,000 and 10,000 vehicles will try to enter the gates beginning as early as 5 a.m. The Navy Yard entrances are on M Street at Sixth and Ninth Streets SE and on 11th Street at O and N Streets SE.
“While we can improve throughput, parking remains limited to 4,473 spaces,” Navy officials said in an email sent to District officials. Parking was already nearly at capacity prior to the return to in-person work and while numerous personnel worked via alternative methods, the Navy said in a statement.
“Once parking reaches capacity, we will redirect excess vehicles off the installation and issue an emergency alert message to discourage other inbound drivers.” That could mean thousands of additional cars will need to park on Navy Yard Streets.
‘Crude Tool Approach’
Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen (D) said that the Navy was trying to be a good neighbor as it attempts to follow the RTO order with no time to create or implement a plan to do so.
The sudden, blanket return order creates problems, Allen said. “One, it doesn’t reflect the reality that many people have, which is that a lot of workplaces and employees have found a really good balance of some remote work,” the councimember said. “But [two], to do this with no plan whatsoever, it’s put the District in a complete scramble.”
The US Navy reached out to the councilmember’s office, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and city agencies with this news Friday, Allen said, recognizing that this would be a difficult situation.
Representatives with the Navy said they will double the number of entry lanes at gates and increase personnel at entry points. Personnel will track capacity at site garages. They have and will continue to highlight the need for alternative travel options, including metro.
District agencies are working with the Nationals to access ballpark parking, but that is already very limited. The available lots listed in the The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Nationals and Audi Transportation Plan would only provide parking for a little more than a thousand vehicles.
“DDOT is pleased to welcome federal workers to the District and encourages commuters to use sustainable transportation options like Metrorail, Metrobus, commuter rail, carpooling, bicycling, and walking,” a DDOT representative said in a statement, also recommending Capital Bikeshare, the District’s bikeshare system which has nearly 400 docks in the District. DDOT will monitor traffic conditions and make traffic signal timing adjustments as needed, the statement concluded.
Councilmember Allen said he and the US Navy have been in touch with DDOT. There will be additional MPD officers and Traffic Control Officers helping out. However, Allen advises residents to avoid the M Street and Navy Yard area if possible.
But, if you cannot avoid travelling in the area, “the message should be abundantly clear: take Metro,” Allen said.
The councilmember said that he expects the city will see traffic gridlock in numerous locations, “as this very crude tool approach to return to work in person work is is playing out.”
This story was updated to include comment from DC DDOT.
