Inauguration Day 2021: Everything you need to know

article

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 12: U.S. National Guard troops stand guard at the U.S. Capitol on January 12, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Pentagon is deploying as many as 15,000 National Guard troops to protect President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Ja

Expand

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is set to be a historic one with the COVID-19 pandemic and threats to the Capitol playing a vital role in the preparation.

It's already causing security concerns and road closures as the District prepares to feel the impacts of the Inauguration Day unlike any other for days and weeks to come.

Here is everything you need to know about the inauguration from how we got here to who will be attending to where the major impacts will be in the city.

Inauguration Day 2021 - 5 Things You Need To Know

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke about the heightened security in the nation's capital just five days from the inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden.

BACKGROUND

In late 2020, weeks after Biden had been declared the winner of the presidential election, plans for his inauguration began being released. They contained information about how the event would be scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden soon encouraged Americans not to attend the inauguration and to participate virtually instead.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Questions surrounding Biden's inauguration plans amid pandemic

DC inauguration emergency preparedness update

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other agency leaders hold an emergency preparedness press conference as security tightens across the District ahead of the inauguration.

Political leaders, such as current governors and past presidents, and members of Congress have announced in the past few weeks their intentions to attend the inauguration in person.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: Inauguration Day 2021: Schedule of events to watch on and before Jan. 20

However, the inaugural stand at the U.S. Capitol which usually holds 1,600 people will most likely be reduced to a fraction of that number.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser echoed President-elect Biden's sentiments this week, telling Americans not to travel to the District for the inauguration amid rising COVID-19 cases and safety risks associated with the Capitol riot.

Biden recently announced he would be holding a memorial for COVID-19 victims before taking the oath of office. The theme of the inauguration will be "America United."

Impact of inauguration preparations on downtown DC

If you’re trying to get anywhere around downtown D.C., wait until after inauguration. The national special security event is now underway.

SECURITY PREPS

After the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by pro-Trump rioters, many questions about security and safety for the inauguration began to take center stage.

DC officials securing Capitol before Inauguration Day

DC officials are looking at additional security measures leading up to Inauguration Day in the wake of the mayhem that erupted on Capitol Hill last week.

D.C. officials put up a non-scalable fence around the entirety of the Capitol grounds following the attack. The fence will be up through the end of January.

Mayor Bowser also extended the initial public emergency order for a total of 15 days through Inauguration Day, which gives her the ability to call for a city-wide curfew at any time.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DC mayor declares public emergency for 15 days following Capitol riots

Earlier this week, the FBI warned of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitals and in D.C. starting later this week and extending through Jan. 20.

Inauguration Day threats

There are new reports that the FBI is warning about armed protests in all 50 state capitals and D.C. ahead of Inauguration Day.

"Armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20 January, and at the U.S. Capitol from 17 January through 20 January," the bulletin said, according to one official.

Most recently, D.C. officials have begun securing the inauguration perimeter, which includes multiple high-traffic areas across the city.

Inauguration Day security preps ramp up across the District

It's not just the Capitol that's getting all the attention for Inauguration Day. What you need to know about the barriers and fencing going up all across DC.

Members of the National Guard have also established a presence in D.C. to assist with inauguration security.

So far, the District has received commitments from the Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York National Guards.

Other states have said they will send their own National Guards to the Capitol since then.

National Guard members take a break within the Capitol

National Guard members are pouring into DC ahead of the Inauguration. On Wednesday, some National Guard members took a break within the Capitol building itself - one week after it was assaulted by pro-Trump protesters.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: National Guard deploying at least 10K troops to DC

IMPACTS ON THE CITY

With the inauguration perimeter being secured so far in advance and the public emergency being extended, this year's inauguration will have significant impacts on the city and District residents.

On Sunday, the Secret Service sent out a map detailing restricted areas around the Capitol, along with additional closures.

Here is the full list of road closures from the U.S. Secret Service:

- 10th St NW from F St NW to Constitution Ave NW (Red Zone)
- 11th St NW from F St NW to Pennsylvania Ave NW (Red Zone)
- 12th St NW from F St NW to C St SW (Red Zone)
- 13th St NW from Pennsylvania Ave NW (Red Zone)
- 13th St NW from K St NW to Pennsylvania Ave NW (Red Zone)
- 14th St NW from K St NW to C St SW (Red Zone)
- 15th St NW from K St NW to Independence Ave SW (Red Zone)
- Raoul Wallenberg Pl SW from 15th St. SW to Maine Ave. SW
- 16th St NW from K St NW to H St NW (Red Zone)
- 17th St NW from N St NW to K St. NW
- 17th St NW from N St NW to Independence Ave SW (Red Zone)
- Rhode Island Ave. NW from Bataan St. NW to N St.
- Rhode Island Ave. NW from Bataan to Connecticut Ave. NW
- M St. from 18th St. NW to Connecticut Ave. NW
- M. St. from 18th St. NW to 17th St. NW
- Connecticut Ave. NW from Jefferson Pl NW to K St. NW
- DeSales St. NW from Connecticut Ave. NW to 17th St. NW
- L St. NW from 17th St. NW from 16th St. NW
- 17th St. NW/Connecticut Ave from K St. NW to H St. NW
- 17th St. NW from H St. to Independence Ave.
- 18th St NW from K St NW to Constitution Ave NW (Red Zone)
- 19th St NW from K St NW to Constitution Ave NW (Red Zone)
- 1st St NW from D St NW to Constitution Ave. NW
- 1st St. NE/SE from Mass. Ave to North Carolina Ave. SE
- 2nd St SW from Washington Ave SW to E St SW
- 3rd St NW/SW from Mass. Ave/H St. NW to E St SW
- 4th St NW from H St NW to D St NW
- 4th St NW from Pennsylvania Ave NW to C St. SW
- 5th St NW from H St. NW to D St. NW
- 6th St NW from G St NW to Constitution Ave NW
- 6th St. SW from Independence Ave. SW to C St. SW
- 7th St NW from F St NW to C St. SW
- 8th St NW from F St to D St NW
- 9th St NW from F St NW to Capitol Square Pl SW
- C St NW from 19th St NW to 17th St NW
- C St NW from 6th St NW to 3rd St NW
- C St. SW from 14th SW to 12th SW
- C St. SW from 6th St. SW to 2nd St. SE
- C St SW from 14th St SW to 2nd St SW/SE
- Constitution Ave NW from 23rd St NW to 2nd St. NE
- D St NW from 18th St NW to 17th St NW
- D St NW/NE from 9th St NW to 2nd St. NE
- D St SW from 4th St SW to 1st St. SE
- Daniel French Dr NW from Lincoln Memorial Circle NW to Independence Ave NW
- E St NW from 19th St NW/E St Expy to 3rd St NW
- F St NW from 15th St NW to 12th St. NW
- F St. NW to 6th St. NW to 3rd St. NW
- F St NW from 19th St NW to 17th St NW
- F St NW from New Jersey Ave NW to N Capitol St NW
- G St NW from 15th St NW to 12th St NW
- G St NW from 19th St NW to 17th St NW
- G St NW from 6th St NW to 3rd St NW
- H St NW from 19th St NW to 12th St NW
- Henry Bacon Dr NW from Lincoln Memorial Circle NW to Constitution Ave NW
- Home Front Dr from 17th St NW to Independence Ave SW
- I St. NW from 19th NW to 12th St. NW
- Independence Ave SW from 17th St NW to Washington Ave SW
- Independence Ave. SW/Kutz Bridge from 23rd St NW to 15th St SW
- Independence Ave. SW from Ohio Dr. SW to 17th St. SW
- 23rd St. SW at Independence Ave. SW
- Indiana Ave NW from 7th St NW to D St NW
- Jefferson Dr SW from 15th St SW to 3rd St SW
- K St NW from 19th St NW to 12th St NW
- Louisiana Ave NW from Constitution Ave NW to Mass. Ave. NW
- Madison Dr NW from 15th St SW to 3rd St SW (Red Zone)
- Maine Ave SW from 12th St SW to Kutz Bridge
- New Jersey Ave SE from Independence Ave SE to E St SW (Red Zone)
- New York Ave NW from 15th St NW to 12th St NW (Red Zone)
- Ohio Drive SW from Ohio Dr. Bridge to Rock Creek Parkway (Red Zone)
- Pennsylvania Ave NW from 15th St NW to 3rd St NW (Red Zone)
- Pennsylvania Ave NW from 19th St to 15th St NW (Red Zone)
- Raoul Wallenberg Pl SW from Independence Ave SW to Maine Ave SW (Red Zone)
- S Capitol St SE from Independence Ave. SW to E St SE (Red Zone)
- Virginia Ave NW from 19th St NW to Constitution Ave NW (Red Zone)
- Washington Ave SW from Independence Ave SW to E St SW (Red Zone)
- Washington Ave SW from Independence Ave SW to S Capitol St SE (Red Zone)

Click here for a full list of road and bridge closures impacting Virginia and D.C. drivers.

Click here for the latest on Metro closures in the District.

Airbnb has also announced they will be canceling all reservations in the D.C. metro area during Inauguration week.

The company says the decision was made due to local, state and federal officials asking people not to travel to the District.

Watch live inauguration day coverage on FOX 5:

Inauguration Day Joe Biden Capitol Riot Coronavirus Washington, D.C.News