awaiting update from metro. news conference is expected to begin any moment. a at this hour thousands of d.c. workers are trying to navigate the traffic, bus line and the cab stands to get home. >> we have team coverage. but first get to karetny covering the metro response from the press conference. >> we are awaiting the start of the press conference. paul wiedefeld is entering the room. listen in. >> good evening. with me today is jack evans the chairman of the

before i begin i want to say i know today presented a hardship to the region. i thank everyone for the support. the shut down was necessary. they identified 26 areas where the damage, the jumper cable and the connector boots exist. let me charity with you what we did. we segmented the system in 22 underground inspection zones where 600 jumper cables are located. this includes all areas of all lines. they were looking for jumper cable or jumper books that were damaged. order in the infull tration and dew bree to burn near

they were making repairs to areas that were identified. if you look at the map behind me if you could, we found as of 5:00 p.m. i mentioned the 26 affected areas. we completed 19 of the zones. we got three more to do. that is why we are roughly at 86% there in terms of the inspection. we accomplished 18 to date. eight are open. the map shows where this is located. some have the multiple ones

we would not run train if we came up on the condition. three of those. mcpherson, farragut north and potomac avenue. let me introduce a video that shows the work undertaken and what we found. this is a jumper cable between the third rail. expansion to the third rail. this is why the system was shut down.

this is a hazardous condition we should not cannot accept. the focus is identify and mitigate fire risk immediately. this is why the system was closed. in the next step at 5:00 p.m. we have completed 18 of the 26. tomorrow we will finish repairs for all 26 and the additional ones that we find in next 24 hours. so we will open the system tomorrow at 5:00 a.m. if we are not able to repair any of those as we come upon them what we will do

single tracking mode but the intention is finish all of them through the evening. the teams are in place to do it. but we still have 10% of the system under inspection. so with that before i take questions i want to turn it over to the chairman. >> thank you, paul. good evening. i want to thank paul and the metro staff and the others who have come help with the enormous effort. enormous effort it was. they have worked tirelessly and will continue to work until 5:00 thursday morning to identify and correct problems in the

say to all the people we are sorry this has had to happen and that it come to this. we are aware of the convenience caused closing down the system for 29 hours. wi believe we made the correct decision because of safety. we couldn't send the people out knowing the risk we had. we made the correct decision and there are issues and we're repairing the issues. the commute in is difficult and the commute home is more difficult.

metro is not a stand-alone organization. i belongs to us. it is virginia, maryland, and the federal government. we are metro. we own metro and partist pate in metro. is it our organization and our responsibility. so as we go forward is it important that everyone remember what happened today and participate in investing in the future. we have a capitol plan coming up to help us assess what has to happen for the future of metro. there is a five-year plan to put together. i go back to the time on the board in 1991. 25 years ago it was around regional funding dedicated source for metro. dedicated funding source. this is 25 years

chairman of the board of metro again. no progress made on the issue. as we go forward i hope this is a wake-up call for the region for the district, for virginia, for maryland and for the federal government. we need to establish the dedicated funding source and we need to support metro. i recognize and i have been around 25 years as an elected official. that the worst time to ask for more money or support is when you are doing poorly. i recognize that. paul, myself and my board are committed to show you that we are turning the organization around to make hard decisions necessary. to maybe this example and the pride of the

when i left here in 2000. the region has to support metro. i want to thank you for coming out here. thank the residents of the region, the businesses, the people who support and participate in metro. we will open tomorrow at 5:00 and work with all of you to make it a great system. go back to paul. we are available for questions. >> [inaudible question] >> these are the boots. the orange boots.

the three red boxes -- [ inaudible question ] where there is a dot there could be jumper cable in a small area. [inaudible question] two things. we are not complete. leon: stepping away now. the administrator wiedefeld continues to take questions from the press. they have covered 22 miles of track and found 26 problem spots, 18 were fixed and they found three that are the show stoppers. the situations so bad with a jumper cables if they had known they would have shut

they are mcpherson, farragut and potomac. maureen: it will reopen tomorrow at 5:00. the system, the entire system will be reopened. we have complete coverage including the press conference on newschannel8. leon: hopefully by 5:00 a.m. tomorrow we're out of the clear. in the clear. mobiletrak7 on the roads tracking the driver home as thousands make an everything rush without metrorail. jeff goldberg, where are you? how does it look? jeff: a couple blocks from the white house. mess down here. in front of us is nothing but red brake lights.

this is busy time of night. but tonight especially. a lot of vehicles on the road with people not taking metro today. take a while to get out of the district. traffic is bad at the moment. >> thank you, jeff. >> jamie sullivan on traffic watch. >> you can see the three miles per hour. four, two. this is what we deal with in d.c. this is the worst. i pull out now on the waze map, most red is confined to the d.c. area. take a live look. police at intersections still. you can see a police car

they are directing traffic. this afternoon they are going to lift the h.o.v. restriction s. this just came out. they lifted restriction on 395 as well as 66. moving to the map i want to talk about 66. this is a comparison to reston. 14 miles per hour. this is hier than usual. 66 is completely clear. a lot of people stayed home. we had traffic moving well. back to you. leon: thank you. metro shut down inspired the car service to issue the coupon for riders. capitol bike share offered free one day membership and the bikes were seen everywhere. what is happening now? richard reeve continues the team coverage live now. he is in the silver spring transit center. hey, rich. richard: he

at the transit center. a lot of folks disembarking from the buss from the district. this morning as we heard in the news conference the morning commute not as bad as the afternoon commute. the buses were snarled in traffic. people seemed happier to be able to get home finally. there were some delays. many as 20 to 25 minutes. a lot of folks will be relieved when this is over. >> for the expense that the customers say every day, they could do a better job in terms of keeping track of things like spacing and the scheduling. >> i cannot imagine that there was a reason so urgent they couldn't have waited until this weekend. what do i know? whatever it was it must be

problem. >> that was debra who does the reverse commute. she was glad she was not stuck in that. maureen: next, trouble on the hill for president obama's pick on the supreme court. leon: how you can help victims of a purse snatching that didn't give up without a fight.

we need women in congress. if we want to be heard, it was the women who forced republicans to include women's health and contraceptive coverage in the affordable care act. in congress, i'll fight for pay equity, family leave and tougher gun safety laws. and, as an environmentalist, i'll work combat climate change. i know as a journalist and as a senior executive in business that when women are at the table, we get things done. i'm kathleen mathews and i approve this message.

alison: the other big story of the night. president obama makes a choice for the supreme court. leon: judge merrick garland spent 19 years on the powerful court of appeals for district of columbia. but will it sway the republicans' determination to block the nominee? alison: scott thuman is live at the supreme court.

circling the wagon saying it's not about the person as it is about the politics and the policies. he is well-liked, highly respect and considered a fine justice from republicans and democrats so why will merrick garland never make it to the supreme court? possible casual till of the campaign season. >> i fulfilled my constitutioning duty. -- constitutional duty. >> but they are already trying to block it. >> i have no doubt he will appoint someone he thinks is good but the timing is in the middle of one of the most horrific presidential campaigns. i'm sick and tired of the supreme court nomination being in the middle of a political brouhaha. scott: many won't confirm garland and because president obama is in the final year the seat should remain open for

in minutes it was on the senate floor. >> give the people a voice in filling this vacancy. >> i don't want to see the lame duck president making permanent appointment. the better thing is to wait until after the election. >> democrats insist to go a year with eight justices would be unjust. >> we hope saner heads in the republican party will revail. if garland can't get bipartisan support nobody can. >> the judge garland will make traditional rounds tomorrow to meet with members of the judiciary committee. some republicans saying they won't take that appointment. maureen? >> thank you, scott. >> garland spent years as a prosecutor as a district. that includes role in drug case against marion barry. we have the judge's c

resume online. >> the damn police looking for five people in the survey -- the d.c. police looking for five people in the sur ray lens video -- surveillance video. the purse was stolen last friday morning. if you recognize anyone in the video the d.c. police want to talk with you. doug: after a day of sunshine and the warm temperatures, clouds in the area. 68 in nationals park. look at the time lapse. cloudy skies. the sun came out for a while. warmed in 70's. now west/northwest, heavy shower underway. looks like this. north of me -- manassas. hail and the rain will feather east. put it in motion to show you the direction of the travel now.

most of this will past west. 77 in leesburg and fredericksburg. mild for st. patrick's day. saturday will turn chilly. sunday a cold rainy day. upper 30 to mid-40's for the highs. and the rain could mix with flakes. clearing sky monday and tuesday. then next week we might get to sustained warm up. stay with us. "abc7 news at 6:00" returns after this.

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robert: welcome live. we are live in raleigh for the ncaa tournament. u.v.a. is a one seed. if they lose to hampton who is a 16th seed you'd be the first to do that. you don't want to be that team. six seniors on the team. if they don't win the whole thing there is no point in being here. we talked to the players about that and more. as if being here is not enough the perk of making it to big dance keep coming. >> i saw reggie miller outside watching practice.

that is crazy. legend. >> for the cavs a legendary run to houston is the goal. starting with the hatchton team, hundreds looking for upset. >> 16 seed. never happened before. never beat a one seed. you still have to be on your toes. >> two years ago we were down at half or close. you can't take anyone for granted. >> they are still underdog mentality. >> we embrace the role of being underdog. we go in and have a chip on our shoulder every game. >> came time tomorrow at 3:00. see you then. leon: you got it. doug: heavy showers will approach the district quickly. the wintry weekend possibility. we have it at 11:

metrorail will reopen at 5:00 tomorrow. leon: see you at 11:00.

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we need women in congress. if we want to be heard, it was the women who forced republicans to include women's health and contraceptive coverage in the affordable care act. in congress, i'll fight for pay equity, family leave and tougher gun safety laws. and, as an environmentalist, i'll work combat climate change. i know as a journalist and as a senior executive in business that when women are at the table, we get things done. i'm kathleen mathews and i approve this message.

tonight, the supreme court showdown. the president names his pick. a judge who took on timothy mcveigh after oklahoma city. who took on the unibomber. but now he faces republican leaders who have intention of taking any action. tonight, the phone call the republican leader who called the judge. the race for the white house. fresh off major victories for donald trump, tonight, trump's new warning. could there be riots if republicans try to block him at a contested convention? new details emerging tonight. the young, undercover detective shot and killed by a fellow officer. pierre thomas, standing by. the deadly storm hitting in the middle of the country. drivers losing control. and now five confirmed tornadoes. and the young american, sentenced tonight to 15 years of hard labor in north korea. his