WASHINGTON — The District Department of Transportation and Department of Public Works have decided to keep the meters off around Nationals Park for the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day.
That means Capitals fans attending the Winter Classic will not need to pay to park near Nationals Park.
Under D.C. regulations, events at Nationals Park supersede the federal holiday and motorists are supposed to feed the meter. Dozens of Nationals fans came back to the vehicles on Memorial Day to discover $100 tickets on their vehicles.
DDOT decided to suspend the meter enforcement on July 4th, citing confusion.
“Some of the things that we’ve heard … is that the signs were not clear enough or not positioned well,” said DDOT spokesman Reggie Sanders this past July.
The Nationals did not play at home on Labor Day.
DPW and DDOT will continue to enforce residential permit parking restrictions. These residential spots cover several blocks between M and T Street SW, west of South Capitol Street between the Waterfront and Buzzard Point. Parking signs tell drivers that you need a residential permit to park in those spots.
There will also be several road closures on Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m. through 6:30 p.m.
- Potomac Avenue between South Capitol Street & First Street
- SE First Street between Potomac Ave & M Street SE
- N Street between South Capitol Street & Tingey Street, SE
- Van Street between M Street & N Street SE
- Half Street between M Street & N Street SE.
- Cushing Place between M Street & N Street SE.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the meters would be turned on around Nats Park.
