Road Plus Rally Equals Snarls
Obama Event at Pavilion Promises Epic Backups

By Eric M. Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 5, 2008

Not even Republicans could have planned a worse combination of time and place for a rally in support of Sen. Barack Obama than today's planned 6 p.m. event at Nissan Pavilion.

The 25,000-capacity amphitheater is served by a single two-lane road off a chronically jammed commuter highway, Interstate 66, that routinely backs up from 3 p.m. on a typical weekday until long past 6. There is also major construction that could force supporters of the presidential candidate through a bottleneck that brings the four-lane westbound side of the highway down to two lanes.

"This sounds like its going to be an absolute disaster," said Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart, a Republican. "Obviously, I have no influence on Barack Obama, but if I did, I would ask him to move the event up a little."

Parking lots will open at 2 p.m. and doors at 3. The program will start at 6. Admission is free and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Joan Morris, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, suggests getting there early: "Don't think about giving yourself some extra minutes, but an extra hour or two."

For just about any event at Nissan Pavilion, I-66 and the local roads back up for hours. The timing and projected size of today's rally could make the traffic jams epic.

Obama's appearance in Prince William County might provide him with a good snapshot of the congestion problems that the Washington area, especially Northern Virginia, faces.

"The problem is self-evident and should be easily absorbed by the senator," said Gordon Hickey, spokesman for Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), who was an early and strong supporter of Obama (D-Ill.). He said the governor's office has reached out to the Obama campaign, urging their supporters to carpool and get out early.

As for Kaine, he is scheduled to be in Northern Virginia today and will be driven to the rally. "We'll be in a car like everybody else," Hickey said.

Pete Frisbie, chairman of the Prince William Democratic Committee, said the Obama camp chose Nissan Pavilion in western Prince William because it is the largest venue in Northern Virginia. But the crowds could wind up being twice as large as the pavilion can hold.

"It could be up to 50,000," Frisbie said. "It's the first event of the national campaign and a historic moment."

Local police said they would not allow any vehicle access to the pavilion once the parking lots are full.

The main problem, Stewart said, is that county officials approved the pavilion years ago without insisting that the access road serving it, Wellington Road, be widened.

"It's basically out there in the middle of nowhere, without adequate transportation infrastructure," Stewart said, and that is why getting in and out has been a chronic issue in its 13-year history. He said Wellington Road is finally scheduled to be widened as part of greater development of the area.

And then there is the prospect of rain. The National Weather Service is predicting a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and a 30 percent chance of rain.

The latest problem with the Nissan Pavilion occurred May 11, during a Radiohead concert in rain that washed out the few country roads that lead to the amphitheater.

Many fans complained about getting there late or not at all. The Washington Post's photographer didn't make it.

One fan, Tim Shaw of Clarksville, spent eight hours in his car failing to get to the concert and then driving home. "I've been to a lot of shows and a lot of festivals, including the second Woodstock, and I've never seen anything as insane."

Nissan Pavilion officials declined to talk about the logistical challenges that the Obama rally raises.

"I understand what you're going after. You want to write another story about traffic at Nissan and Radiohead, and we're not going to comment," said Rob Muller, the pavilion's director of marketing.