Metro ridership sets one-day record

WASHINGTON -- President Obama's inauguration was a precedent-setting day in more ways than one: More passengers took Metrorail than ever before.

The transit agency says that as of 7 p.m. last night, more than 973,000 passengers had used Metrorail, breaking the previous day's record of nearly 887,000.

Metro opened at 4 a.m. yesterday, an hour earlier than usual, to bring huge crowds into the city. Extra trains also were used to handle the crush of passengers.

One of the contributing factors in the heavy ridership was a decision by federal authorities to close all bridges from northern Virginia into Washington, limiting vehicle access to the city.

-- Wire And Staff Reports