President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to bring employees back to in-person work in an executive order.
WASHINGTON — Streets were gridlocked in Southeast D.C. Monday morning as thousands of federal workers returned in-person to offices.
President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to bring employees back to in-person work in an executive order. It charged heads of departments and agencies to terminate remote work arrangements and submit a plan for returning employees to offices by Feb. 7. For many agencies, the plan starts Monday.
In Navy Yard, more than double the amount of traffic than usual was expected, with the Department of Defense bringing nearly 17,000 employees back to the base there on Monday. They also anticipated 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles would be fighting for just under 4,500 parking spots.
Near the Naval Support Activity Washington offices, cars were backed up for blocks as early as 5 a.m., hours before the standard workday begins, searching for parking. Gates opened early Monday morning, as they prepared for high volumes of vehicles. Officials say that level of traffic usually isn’t seen in the area until 6:30 a.m.
The traffic was compounded by a car fire on the 11th Street Bridge, shutting down eastbound lanes of I-695. The fire has since been put out and the lanes reopened.
Given the morning rush hour madness, the evening commute may also see some major delays.
Monday is also the extended deadline for federal employees to decide whether they will take Trump’s buyouts and resign. The deadline was initially the end of the day on Feb. 6, but it was stayed by a federal judge in Massachusetts just hours before.
