Who doesn't love a good logistical nightmare? Here's a rundown of highlights from Forbes' tally of exactly how big this party is going to be, how much it's going to cripple Washington, and how awesome it will be when you tell your grandkids you were there.
- 1.5 to 3: In millions, size of the anticipated crowd turnout in D.C. for President Obama's historical swearing-in
- 17: Length, in hours, of the "rush hour" expected to hit the D.C. Metro transit system on Jan. 20
- 9,000: Pounds of tortellini being prepped by caterers for guests of the six official balls at the Washington Convention Center (out of 10 inaugural D.C. balls, total)
- 4,000: Police stationed along the Inaugural Parade Route
- 5,000: Portable toilets along the National Mall and parade route along Pennsylvania Ave. (the National Park Service requires 1 portable toilet for every 300 people)
- 10,000: Number of buses carrying people into D.C. for the festivities, effectively doubling its population
- 300,000: Passenger overload expected at Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport
- 150: Millions of dollars - at least - that the inauguration is expected to cost when all is said and done (compared to George W. Bush's $42.3 in '05 inauguration, and Clinton's paltry '93 bill of $33 million)
Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
