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OrientationThe French architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant designed Washington's famous city plan, with broad diagonal avenues overlaid on top of the classic American street grid. The avenues are generally named for states (such as Connecticut Avenue); grid streets are either numbered (if they run north-south, such as 16th Street) or alphabetical (if they run east-west, such as K Street). Circles, squares, and randomly named "mid-block" streets (added after L'Enfant) complicate the situation, but most D.C. streets, especially in the urban center, follow this basic system. Note that there is no J Street, nor X, Y, and Z Streets. Street numbering follows a block system. On east-west streets, the 100 block is between 1st and 2nd Streets, the 200 block between 2nd and 3rd, and so forth. On north-south streets, the 100 block is between A and B Streets, the 200 block between B and C, and so forth. The diagonal avenues follow the same system: numbering matches whichever grid direction (north-south or east-west) is closer to the orientation of the diagonal. For example, Rhode Island Avenue is closer to east-west, so the host hotel, at 1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, is between 15th & 16th Streets, NW. Connecticut Avenue is closer to north-south, so 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, is between H & I (sometimes spelled out "Eye") Streets, NW. The most confusing aspect of Washington's layout is that the city is divided into four quadrants--Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), Southwest (SW), and Southeast (SE)--and specific street addresses often appear in more than one quadrant. Listings of addresses should include the quadrant (for example, 1525 Q Street, NW, is in the Northwest quadrant). In many cases, a particular street address only exists in one quadrant, but a few addresses exist in all four! The quadrants are centered on the U.S. Capitol building, from which radiates North Capitol Street (dividing NE and NW), East Capitol Street (dividing NE and SE), South Capitol Street (dividing SE and SW), and the National Mall (dividing NW and SW). The key to understanding the quadrants is to remember that the majority of the city--and the vast majority of visitor attractions--are in NW, including the gay-popular neighborhoods of Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, and U Street, almost all of the central business district, the White House, and Georgetown. If no quadrant is listed in the address, assume it is in NW. Note, however, that the Smithsonian museums on the south side of the National Mall are in SW, and the gay-friendly Capitol Hill neighborhood spans both NE and SE. WalkingWashington was recently ranked as the most pedestrian-friendly city in the U.S. Most areas of the urban core are within 10 minutes' walk of a Metro (subway) station. This is even true of Georgetown, which famously has no Metro stop: one can easily walk to Georgetown from the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station or from the Rosslyn station via the Key Bridge. The one thing to be aware of is that distances can be deceptively long sometimes. Most notably, the National Mall is two miles from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, with the Marine (Iwo Jima) and Air Force Memorials another two miles across the river in Virginia. Unless you really enjoy walking, it's generally recommended to mix walking with other means of getting around. Sometimes a strategic taxi ride is all that's needed; other times Metro, bicycles, or ZipCar. MetroD.C.'s subway, simply known as the Metro, is renowned for its cleanliness, safety, and modern design. Divided into five lines that cross the city (Red, Orange, Blue, Green and Yellow), Metro is by far the easiest means to get around Washington and the many events for IGLA. To find a Metro station, simply look for the dark brown poles with the lighted "M" symbol at the top. Here is a brief overview of where each of the IGLA events are located in relation to Metro stations:
By clicking on this link you will see a Map of the system: http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm One important difference between the Metro system in Washington and other cities in the U.S. lies in the fares for riding the trains. In Washington, the cost of riding the Metro is determined by the number of stops you travel, unlike in Chicago or New York which have a fixed price for any length of ride. If you have purchased a weekly pass, you need not worry about this. But if you intend to purchase your farecards as you need them, keep in mind that you must have a sufficient balance on your card in order to exit a Metro station. If your card doesn't have enough balance, you will be sent to an "Exit Fare" machine, but these ONLY take cash (and only give change in coins, which can be a lot if the only cash you have is a $20 bill!). At each Metro farecard vending machine, all the fares (from the station where you are to any other station) are listed. Note the distinction between "regular" fares (which cover an extended rush hour period) and "reduced" fares (covering other times). Make sure you have the right amount before you ride the Metro! For more information about Metro including hours of operation, fare costs and station maps, please visit its Web site at http://www.metroopensdoors.com. TaxisWashington has a large network of taxis; it is one of few American cities where one can predictably hail a cab on the street. As of this writing, D.C. cabs still use an archaic "zone" system to determine fares. This system can baffle even longtime residents. Sometime soon, cabs will change to meters like most every other city has. This was supposed to happen March 1st, but the implementation was delayed. Supposedly the meter launch is now set for May, but that remains to be seen. We really don't know which system will be in effect when IGLA is held. Regardless, keep in mind that you will be charged extra for the following:
You can use the following web site to calculate the typical fare for a cab ride in the city: http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps/taxifare.aspx SafetyWashington is a safe city--at least it's as safe as most any other large American city. D.C.'s reputation as a "crime capital" was largely the result of media hype and mostly related to the drug trade--and in any case it peaked over two decades ago. Times have changed! As in any major city, you should use normal common sense: be aware of your surroundings, don't get too engrossed in things like your iPod or cell phone, walk with a group of friends and if you feel uncomfortable, duck into a store or restaurant, or hail a cab. AirportsReagan Washington National Airport (airport code: DCA) (http://www.mwaa.com/national/). Recently renamed by Congress as the Ronald Reagan Washington National, this Airport is across the Potomac River from downtown D.C. There is a very convenient Metro station (no shuttle buses--it's right at the airport) on the Blue and Yellow Lines; downtown D.C. is 5-10 minutes away and about $1.85-2.50 Metro fare away. From National Airport, a cab costs $10-15 to downtown D.C. Dulles International Airport (airport code: IAD) (http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles/). Dulles is in Virginia, approximately 40 minutes' drive (without traffic) from downtown D.C. There is no Metro or train connection. NOTE: Traffic in Northern Virginia is the worst in the Washington area. It is not unusual for the drive to take an hour or even an hour and a half, especially at rush hours. Buses and shuttles are caught up in the same traffic as cabs and private vehicles. Research your options well and plan accordingly! From Dulles, there are four choices for non-private transportation
Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (airport code: BWI) (http://www.bwiairport.com/). BWI (as locals call it for short) is located in Maryland between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. It is an approximately 45 minutes' drive (without traffic) from downtown D.C. While it is not served by Metro, there is a direct, in-terminal train connection to downtown Baltimore, but for Washington, one must take a short shuttle bus to the Amtrak/MARC train station. NOTE: Suburban Maryland's traffic is generally somewhat better than Northern Virginia's, but unless you take a train, it's prudent to include a cushion of at least 30 minutes to account for possible delays. From BWI, there are five choices for non-private transportation:
RentalsIn addition to numerous the car-rental companies, D.C. offers ZIP/Flex cars. These car-sharing services are affordable and useful for short-term trips. For more information, visit their web site: http://www.zipcar.com/ You may also choose to rent a bicycle for the day if the weather is nice. Many people find that a bicycle is the perfect way to see the sights of the Monumental core: you can get around easily and quickly without worrying about parking. This page summarizes the businesses in D.C. that rent bikes: http://bikewashington.org/rentals/index.htm |
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