D.C. Metro Shatters Records on Inauguration

Roughly 1.1 million people used Washington, D.C.’s subway system on Inauguration Day, shattering the all-time record set just a day before.

According to an official with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), preliminary calculations indicate 1.1 million users took advantage of D.C.’s metro system, though a final number will not be available until the close of business today.

As of 7:00 p.m. yesterday, visitors and residents had taken 973,285, already exceeding the record set day before by the influx of passengers celebrating President Barack Obama’s inauguration.

The previous, pre-inauguration record had been 854, 638, which was set in July of 2008, when a Women of Faith Conference and Washington Nationals baseball game was held on the same day.

The metro service was not without hiccups while crowded with patrons. One woman fell onto the tracks at a downtown station Tuesday morning, causing major delays, and another downtown station had to be temporarily closed Tuesday afternoon.

The system had long been planning to take advantage of the inauguration. WMATA produced commemmorative fare cards emblazoned with the new president’s face to help celebrate the occasion.