Will more Inauguration vendors mean more traffic?

WASHINGTON - People looking to buy food, drinks and memorabilia will have more vendors to choose from on Inauguration Day, WTOP has learned.

The District will license 200 additional vendors for Inauguration Day and establish four vending zones located in major downtown areas, including K Street.

Linda Argo, the director of the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, tells WTOP the city will allow 700 vendors to set up in four vending zones.

Originally, the District was only going to issue 500 vending permits.

Three of the zones will be located near the parade route, and one will be close to the National Mall.

Neither Argo, nor a spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Transportation would comment on whether the roads near vending zones will be closed to traffic during the inauguration. All four vending zones are busy downtown roads.

Inaugural Vending Zones:

Zone 1: K Street NW from 12th to 15th
Zone 2: G Street NW from 7th to 12th, including 10th from G Street to H Street
Zone 3: F Street from New Jersey Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue, including First Street from E Street to New Jersey Avenue
Zone 4: L'Enfant Plaza from the D Street SW overpass to Independence Avenue

There will be other options for vendors who do not win a spot in the lotteries, including overflow vending locations near transportation hubs like Metro stations and large parking lots where tour buses will be stationed.

The slots will be distributed through three computer lotteries on Jan. 6. The lottery will be conducted by an independent contractor.

The first lottery will give priority to the 300 currently-licensed vendors who will be displaced for security reasons. The second lottery will be for the remaining 600 currently-licensed vendors who want to move their location for the inauguration. The third lottery will be open to anyone who doesn't already have a D.C. vending license.

Vending applications are located on DCRA's Web site.

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