On-Street Parking Take Metro! Parking Lots and Traffic Flow Parking/Transit News Items
Taking Mass Transit to the Ballpark/Using Metro Parking Lots
 Metro has launched a web page with information on bus and rail service to ballgames, along with information on using the parking lots at Metro subway stations and then riding to the games. They have said that they will run expanded trains and service before and after games.
The Navy Yard Metro station, on the Green line, is the closest to Nationals Park. The station's west entrance, at Half and M streets, SE, is one block north of the stadium. A second station entrance at New Jersey Avenue and M Street, SE, is approximately two blocks from the ballpark's northeast corner. A $20 million renovation project is underway to expand the Navy Yard station's capacity, upgrading it from 5,000 customers an hour to 15,000 passengers an hour, the same number that the Stadium/Armory station next to RFK handles. Upgrades include increasing the number of fare gates and vending machines, adding two elevators, and relocating the station kiosk, fare gates and fare vendors from the mezzanine to the street entrance. The station has remained open during this renovation, although the west entrance at Half and M has been closed. The station's renovation is being handled at the same time that a new office building ( 55 M Street) is being built on top of the station. The Waterfront/SEU station, also on the Green line, is approximately 7/10th of a mile away from the ballpark, which is a 10- to 12-minute walk.
The Capitol South station, on the Orange and Blue lines, is approximately 8/10th of a mile away from the ballpark, which is about a 12- to 15-minute walk.
The closest Yellow line station is L'Enfant Plaza, where riders can connect to the Green Line for the trip to the Navy Yard station or to the Orange/Blue lines to go to Capitol South.
The Anacostia station, on the Green line, is approximately 9/10th of a mile away (though walking from there to the ballpark would require a trip by foot across the Douglass Bridge). It is one stop from the Navy Yard station and is the closest station with a parking garage. (See Metro's Daily Parking page for details on all its parking lots.) The closest Red line station is Union Station, approximately 1.8 miles away. In February 2008, WMATA's board approved a plan to expand the service of its N22 bus that shuttles between the Union Station, Eastern Market, and Navy Yard subway stations. Starting March 30, weekday service on the N22 line will be extended from 7 PM to 10:30 PM. New Saturday service will be established to operate from 11 AM to 10:30 PM. New Sunday service will be established to operate from 11 AM to 5 PM. The frequency of service will be every 10 minutes at all times. Trips operating after 5:30 PM on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays will follow a shortened route by eliminating the loop from 8th & M Streets SE to 12th & M Streets SE and back to 8th & M Streets SE. The route in the vicinity of Union Station will be changed at all times to operate regular route from Navy Yard Station to the intersection of Louisiana Avenue & North Capitol Street, then left on North Capitol Street, right on Massachusetts Avenue, right on E Street, left on North Capitol Street, right on Louisiana Avenue and continue regular route to Navy Yard. This route change will relocate the stop at Union Station to the south side of Massachusetts Avenue, across the street from the current stop. Other Metrobuses that run close to Nationals Park include the 70, P1/P2, and V7/V8/V9.
The city has been reportedly working on plans for a new route for its special red Circulator buses, which would run between Union Station (which has a Metro Red Line station), the new visitors' center at the U.S. Capitol, the Capitol South Metro station on the Blue/Orange lines, and the ballpark. No start date has been officially announced.
 Walking from Capitol South
As said above, the Capitol South subway station, on the Orange and Blue line, is approximately 8/10 of a mile from the ballpark, which can take as little as 12 minutes for long-legged speedy types, or closer to 15-to-20 minutes for amblers.
At left is the JDLand Suggested Route, using a couple of shortcuts to shave a few feet off the trip. When exiting Capitol South, head south down the hill down First Street. When First Street ends at F Street (at Garfield Park), you will see a staircase--take this to cut over to New Jersey Avenue, where you will find new (if somewhat narrow) sidewalks installed on both sides of the street in summer 2007.
After you pass under the freeway, the first intersection is I Street--turn right, and then almost immediately turn left to continue toward the ballpark on First Street, which is newly widened and has new sidewalks and curbs. This will take you directly to the gates on First Street south of N, or on N Street you can turn right to go to the Center Field Gate.
Isn't New Jersey Avenue Scary?
A lot of people were concerned before Opening Day about the trip along New Jersey Avenue, but plenty of fans have been using the route with no problem. Now, construction at 909 New Jersey in the block between I and K is all but complete, and new residents moving into 70/100 I one block away will add to the liveliness of the stretch. And it looks a lot better than it used to (note the new sidewalks in the recent photos):
 
Looking south on New Jersey from I Street, in April 2006 (left) and in May 2009 (right). At right is the construction site for 909 New Jersey, an apartment building completed in spring 2009.
 
Looking north on New Jersey from K Street, in August 2005 (left) and May 2009 (right). The 909 New Jersey site is at left.
Contact JD
But note: I do not work for the Nationals, the DC government, or any official organization.
Anyone who sends a message like "I'm a season-ticket holder, where is my parking going to be?" can expect to be ignored,
because I Don't Know.
On-Street Parking Take Metro! Parking Lots and Traffic Flow Parking/Transit News Items
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