Program of the 122nd Annual Meeting

January 3—6, 2008
Washington, D.C.

Transportation

 

 

Transportation to Washington, D.C.

Travel Agency

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) is the official travel agency for the annual meeting. As such, ATC has negotiated discounts with United Airlines, American Airlines, Amtrak, Avis, and Enterprise to bring attendees special air, rail, and car rental rates that are lower than those available to the public. To take advantage of these rates and benefits, e-mail reservations@atcmeetings.com or fax 858-362-3153. ATC is available for reservations from 9:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. A link is also available through the AHA annual meeting web page, or directly from ATC’s web site through the “TravelASP” booking engine. When registering on the site, enter “AHA” in the company/association field. 

| back to the top |

Airfares

By contacting ATC, attendees traveling on United Airlines (ID number 510CK) will save up to 15 percent on applicable classes of service for tickets purchased more than 30 days prior to the meeting and those traveling on American Airlines (ID Number A6918AD) will save up to 5 percent. Some restrictions and service fees may apply.  Discounted fares will be available for travel Monday, December 31, 2007, through Wednesday, January 9, 2008, for service into Reagan National (DCA), Dulles International (IAD), and Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) airports.  Attendees may also contact airlines directly, and provide the ID numbers mentioned above. United Airlines can be reached at 800-521-4041 and American Airlines at 800-433-1790.  Please note that the discount ID numbers noted above can be used only when telephoning ATC or the two airlines with reservation requests and will not be valid on either airline’s web site for Internet reservations.

ATC will also search for the lowest available fare on any airline serving the three airports.  ATC is a full-service travel agency that provides personalized service, advance seat assignments, special meal requests, frequent flier programs updates, electronic ticketing, e-mail access for convenient booking of your tickets, and more.

| back to the top |

Train Fares

Amtrak offers a 10 percent discount on the lowest available fare to Washington, D.C. between December 31, 2007 and January 9, 2008. To book, call Amtrak at 800-872-7245 and refer to Convention Fare Code X03Q-921. Please note that this discount cannot be booked via Amtrak’s web site—you must call Amtrak directly and mention the fare code. The offer is not valid on Auto Train, but is valid with Sleepers, Business Class, or First Class seats with payment of the full applicable accommodation charges. Fares are also valid on Amtrak Regional and Acela service for all classes of service seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts.

| back to the top |

Car Rental

Attendees can also arrange to rent a car through Avis or Enterprise, with discounted rates effective from December 31, 2007, through January 9, 2008.  Contact Avis at 800-331-1600, noting ID number D757141, or Enterprise at 800-593-0505, noting ID number 32H7476. 

| back to the top |

Driving to Washington, D.C.

Interstate 95 skirts Washington, D.C., as part of the Beltway, the six- to eight-lane highway that encircles the city. The eastern half of the Beltway is labeled both I-95 and I-495; the western half is just I-495. If you are coming from the south, take I-95 to I-395 and cross the 14th Street Bridge to 14th Street in the District. From the north, stay on I-95 south before heading west on Route 50, the John Hanson Highway, which turns into New York Avenue. Interstate 66 approaches the city from the southwest. You can get downtown by taking I-66 across the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to Constitution Avenue. Interstate 270 approaches Washington from the northwest before hitting I-495.

To get downtown, take I-495 east to Connecticut Avenue south, toward Chevy Chase. Check hotel web sites for driving directions to individual properties.

| back to the top |

Ground Transportation

From Airports

The nation’s capital is served by three airports, Dulles International Airport (IAD), approximately 30 miles west of Washington; the closer Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington, Virginia; and Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), approximately 38 miles north of Washington. All airports offer excellent ground transportation throughout the day with service available between airports to the hotels.

Reagan National Airport (DCA) is served by taxi, Metro, and van. Taxicabs are available at the exits of each terminal with dispatchers to assist passengers. Separate lines form for destinations within Virginia and to the District and Maryland so passengers should check for the correct queue. A ride from the airport to the hotels takes approximately 25 to 35 minutes, depending on time of day and traffic, and costs approximately $18.

  • Metro, the region’s rapid transit system, has a rail station on the Blue and Yellow lines adjacent to Terminals B and C. The Metrorail station is within walking distance from these terminals. Shuttle buses run from Terminal A to the Metrorail station. Passengers proceeding to the main meeting hotels should take the Blue Line to Metro Center and change there to the Red Line. The Marriott and Omni Shoreham hotels are within a block of the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line ($1.35 off peak and $2.10 peak; 30 minutes travel time); and the Hilton and Embassy Suites are both four blocks from the Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line, though in different directions ($1.35 off peak and $1.85 peak; 25 minutes travel time). The system operates seven days a week, opening 5:30 a.m. weekdays and 7:00 a.m. weekends. It closes at midnight Sunday to Thursday and at 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For additional information, see the “Public Transit” section.

  • The SuperShuttle (800-258-3826) provides door-to-door van service to and from the airport to downtown hotels. At the airport, passengers should follow signs for Ground Transportation to the SuperShuttle boarding area, curbside at each terminal. A uniformed Guest Service Representative assists riders between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m.  The fare is $12 each way.

  • Accessible ground transporation: Call the Washington Flyer (888-927-4359, 703-661-6655), or SuperShuttle (800-258-3826, TDD 866-472-4497). Metro is also accessible from this airport.

| back to the top |

Dulles Airport (IAD) is served by taxi, motorcoach, rail, and van. Washington Flyer Taxicabs serve Dulles International Airport exclusively with 24-hour service from the airport. Taxicab dispatchers are on duty 24 hours a day at the East and West ramps on the lower level of the Main Terminal. Approximate one-way fares to Washington, D.C., range from $51 to $58 and travel time is approximately 45 minutes.

  • Washington Flyer (888-927-4359). Although Washington Flyer motorcoach service no longer operates from Dulles to downtown Washington, it does run from Dulles to Metrorail’s West Falls Church Station on the Orange Line.  From this point, travelers can continue by Metrorail or by taxicab.  The coach service operates seven days a week, departing the airport every 30 minutes beginning 5:45 a.m. weekdays and 7:45 a.m. weekends, with the last run leaving the airport at 10:15 p.m. daily. Average travel time from Dulles to the station is 25 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The one-way fare is $9 and round-trip is $16. Discounts are offered for groups of three or more traveling together and for seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the airport’s ticket podium located inside the vestibule at Arrivals Level Door 4. Since there are no ticketing facilities at the Metrorail station, passengers boarding there without a ticket can purchase from the driver. Once at the subway station, passengers should board trains bound for New Carrollton and change at Metro Center Station to take a Red Line train toward Shady Grove. The stations for the meeting hotels and the fares are: Marriott and Omni Shoreham [exit at Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line ($1.85 off peak and $2.80 peak), 40 minutes travel time] and Hilton and Embassy Suites (exit at Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line ($1.35 off peak and $2.50 peak), 35 minutes travel time). Another option for travelers with less luggage is Metrobus 5A (from the Ground Transporttion curb, Arrivals level, down the ramp, at curb location 2E) which connects with Metrorail at the L’Enfant Plaza Station. The express buses leave Dulles every 40 minutes on weekdays and take about an hour to reach L’Enfant Plaza; the fare is $3. From there, riders can take Metrorail or a taxi. For additional information, see the “Public Transit” section.

  • The SuperShuttle (800-258-3826) provides door-to-door van service from Dulles to downtown hotels. Upon arriving at the airport, follow signs toward Ground Transportation/Shared Ride Vans. SuperShuttle counters are open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and are on the lower level, just before the exit. Agents announce ticket number when it is time to proceed outside. The fare is $27 for the first person with $10 for each additional person.

  • Accessible ground transporation: Call the Wheelchair and Skycap Services (703-572-6050, 703-260-0175 TTY) or SuperShuttle (800-258-3826, TDD 866-472-4497).

| back to the top |

BWI Airport is served by taxi, van, and rail. The BWI taxi stand is located just outside the baggage claim area of the airport’s lower level. The airport is a 45-minute cab ride from Washington with an approximate fare of $65. SuperShuttle (800-258-3826) offers door-to-door van service from the airport to hotels. Passengers should go to the airport’s lower level, following signs to the SuperShuttle desk located between Southwest Airlines baggage carousels (Pier A/B baggage claims). The ticket counter is open from 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. daily. The fare to downtown Washington hotels is  $35.

  • Metro offers express bus service between BWI and the Greenbelt Metrorail Station on the Green Line. At the airport, passengers should go to the lower level of the International Pier, following signs marked “Public Transit.” The BWI Express/B30 service runs daily every 40 minutes. Passengers can catch the Express/Metro bus at two stops—one is located on the lower level of the International Pier and the other is located on the lower level of Concourse A/B. The service costs $2.50 one-way. At Greenbelt, attendees can take a cab, approximate fare $20, or Metrorail, fare varies if peak ($3.20 to $3.30) or off peak ($2.35).

  • An Amtrak station also serves BWI with more than 40 Amtrak and Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) (www.mtamaryland.com) trains to Washington’s Union Station. The airport provides shuttle service from its terminals to the BWI Rail Station. Amtrak coach-class service is $12 to $16 one way and MARC is $6 one way. Travel time is approximately 25 minutes. Upon arriving at Union Station, attendees can take a cab or Metrorail to hotels.

  • Accessible ground transporation: Call BWI Access Information (410-859-7220 between 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. or 800-435-9294 24-hour line) or SuperShuttle (800-258-3826, TDD 866-472-4497).

| back to the top |

From Union Station (Amtrak)

Washington’s Union Station is located at Massachusetts Avenue and 1st Street N.E. The Amtrak ticket office at Union Station is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. A cab ride from Union Station to the hotels takes from 15 to 20 minutes and costs from $10 to $14. Union Station also has its own Metrorail Station on the Red Line. The trip, directly by the Red Line to Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Station (for the Marriott and Omni Shoreham) and to Dupont Circle (for the Hilton Washington) takes about 10 minutes and costs $1.35 to $1.45.

| back to the top |

A Note about Taxicabs in the District

More than 10,000 licensed taxis serve the city of Washington. While taxis in Virginia and Maryland are metered, fares in the District operate on a zone system. By law, basic rates must be posted in each cab ($1.50 for each additional passenger). Costs range from the base fare of $5 for a subzone ride to maximum fare of $15.60 for an eight-zone ride (crossing a zone border incurs an additional charge of approximately $1.70 for each additional border). Drivers have the right to pick up other fares while transporting a passenger. Fares are doubled during periods of snow emergency, as declared by the city government. During rush hours (7:00–9:30 a.m. and 4:00–6:30 p.m.), there is a $1 per trip surcharge. Hand baggage, excluding briefcases and parcels of comparable size, is charged for at the rate of 50 cents for each piece. Trunks or similar large articles are charged for at the rate of $2.

| back to the top |

Public Transit

The city’s public transportation system, Metro, provides subway and rail service and is the most efficient way of getting around Washington. The system boasts the longest escalator (Wheaton Station at 508 feet) and the deepest station (Forest Glen at 21 stories) in the Western Hemisphere. Five rail lines and an extensive bus system connect the District with Maryland and Virginia. Train lines are named for colors: Blue, Green, Orange, Red, and Yellow. Station entrances are marked by tall brown columns capped with the letter “M” and colored stripes indicating which lines are available. Route maps are posted at each station and inside each subway car. Trains operate Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. and from 7:00 a.m on weekends, and close at midnight Sunday through Thursday and 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Each train displays the name of its farthest destination.

A farecard is needed to enter and to leave the system. Each person needs his or her own farecard; they cannot be shared. Farecards are inserted into turnstile gates to enter and to exit the subway platforms. The fare is automatically deducted upon exiting a station. Base subway fare is $1.35 and the maximum fare is $3.90, with fares based on distance traveled. Transfers are free within the Metrorail system and 35 cents to transfer to Metrobus (with transfer ticket available from machines on station mezzanines). Rail farecards and some passes can be purchased at vending machines located in station mezzanines. Riders can also purchase a one-day pass for $6.50. It is valid for one day of unlimited Metrorail travel on weekdays after 9:30 a.m. or all day on Saturdays, Sundays, or federal holidays. The pass expires at the end of the operating day—3:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, midnight on other nights. Passes can be purchased in advance via the system’s web site.

System maps are located near the farecard machines and inside trains. Riders should note the name of the last stop of the line they are traveling and any transfer stations, which are identified on the map with a double black circle. Signs in the station inform passengers which platform to use for their destination. Flashing lights at the platform’s granite edge alert when a train is entering the station. Riders should check the destination of the train before boarding. Destinations are displayed over the train’s front and side windows and the color of the line is displayed on the front and back of the train. Electronic display signs will assist persons who are hearing impaired. Chimes signal that the car doors are closing. Once the chimes have sounded, step back and wait for the next train. Unlike elevator doors, the train doors do not reopen automatically.

Listed below are the four hotels, their nearest subway stop, and several nearby attractions. The Marriott, Omni Shoreham, Hilton, and Embassy Suites are all on the Red Line. Riders can switch from one line to the other at transfer points such as Metro Center and Gallery Place. Transfer stations are bilevel and do not require an exit from the system—riders need only go up or down one set of escalators for the other line.

Marriott Wardman Park: adjacent to Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line; one mile from National Cathedral and one-half mile from the National Zoo.

Omni Shoreham: one hundred yards from Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Station, two blocks from the Adams Morgan neighborhood’s shopping and restaurants.

Hilton Washington: four blocks from Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line; walking distance to Embassy Row, Adams Morgan neighborhood, and restaurants and shopping areas.  Exit at the north end of the station to Q Street and walk four blocks north on Connecticut Avenue to the hotel at 1919 Connecticut Avenue.

Embassy Suites: four blocks from Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line, walking distance to historic Georgetown and Dupont Circle, and within minutes of the White House, Lincoln Memorial, and the National Mall. Exit at the south end of the station on 19th Street, turn right on N Street, and walk four blocks to 22nd and N Street.

For additional information, you may call the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority at 202-637-7000, TDD 202-638-3780, or visit the web site for information and to download maps. The site also has a visitors’ kit featuring the Metro Pocket Guide. It provides the Metrorail system map, points of interest near Metrorail stations, and information on system hours, fares, and passes. It can be downloaded at the web site and it is available in 11 languages. A particularly useful feature on the web site’s home page is Metro’s interactive “TripPlanner,” which maps a route between any two points served by Metrorail or Metrobus.

The DC Circulator is also an option to navigate downtown Washington, D.C. It was developed to link the city’s cultural, entertainment, and business destinations within the central core. Fare is $1. It has three routes: a North/South route travels between the Washington Convention Center and the Southwest Waterfront everyday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., an East/West route travels from Union Station to Georgetown everyday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and a Smithsonian/National Gallery of Art route that makes continuous loops around the National Mall every day between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. See the web site for route maps and ticket information.

| back to the top |

Parking

  • Parking at the Hotels
    All hotels have parking available. Current published rates for each 24-hour period are: Marriott $28 self-park, $33.60 valet park; Omni $23 self, $28 valet; Hilton $23 self, no valet; Embassy Suites $23.95 self, no valet.

  • Additional Parking Options
    Parking in Washington can be frustrating—the police are quick to tow away or immobilize with a “boot” any vehicle parked illegally. (If you find you’ve been towed from a city street, call 202-727-5000.) Since the city’s most popular sights are within a short walk of a Metro station anyway, it’s best to leave your car at the hotel. There are many private parking lots downtown, but be aware that they can be expensive, charging as much as $4 an hour and $13 a day. There is free, two-hour parking around the Mall on Jefferson Drive and Madison Drive, though these spots are always filled. You can park free—in some spots all day—in parking areas off Ohio Drive near the Jefferson Memorial and south of the Lincoln Memorial on Ohio Drive and West Basin Drive in West Potomac Park.

| back to the top |

Driving in Washington, D.C.

The District of Columbia is 67 square miles and is divided into 4 quadrants: Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, and Southeast. Accordingly, all addresses end in one of the following designations: N.E., S.E., S.W., and N.W. The U.S. Capitol building marks the center where the quadrants meet. The streets are organized on a “grid” system. Numbered streets run north and south. Lettered streets run east and west (there are no J, X, Y, or Z streets), becoming two-syllable names, then three-syllable names as you travel farther out from the center. Avenues named for U.S. states run diagonally, often meeting at traffic circles and squares.

Washington, D.C., Rules of the Road: Unless indicated by a sign, right turns at red lights are allowed in Washington. All passengers are required to wear a seat belt. Infants up to 1 year of age and under 20 pounds must be strapped into a rear-facing car seat in the back seat. Children both over age 1 and weighing 20 to 40 pounds must also use a car seat in the back seat, though it can face the front. Children cannot sit in the front seat of a car until they weigh over 80 pounds. A District law prohibits anyone driving in the city from talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device.

| back to the top |

Last Updated: October 26, 2007 12:07 PM