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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Visitors To D.C. Prepare For Inauguration

LOURDES GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

Washington, D.C., is getting ready for the inauguration. There are risers, bunting and security fences popping up around the National Mall. And there is the arrival, of course, of many people who voted for Donald Trump. They're excited about the inauguration of a new president.

It was cold and drizzling yesterday afternoon outside the White House. But that didn't stop the Murano family from doing a little sightseeing. They're from Chicago. And Jennifer Murano said she's been tuned into this election for a long time.

JENNIFER MURANO: I've watched it from the first primary all the way through, never missed a beat. So it's been awesome - and especially liked educating my children about everything that's going on.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Her seventh-grade son was ready to pay attention.

JOEY MURANO: My parents just told me to start watching the debates, so I started watching and then started getting, like, interested in it. And then it was just amazing to see, like, all these politics compete to try a president. And then Trump was just outstanding.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Joey Murano was wearing a make America great again hat he'd just picked up from a street vendor. In this campaign, you couldn't escape politics, even in the classroom.

JOEY: Yeah. Kids were screaming, like, go Hillary. And then I was trying to tell them, like, you don't know what you're talking about.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Friday's parade route will take President Trump's motorcade right past the new Trump International Hotel. It's already become an attraction here. We found one Trump supporter, Andy McDermott, looking through a window. It seems that's as close as he'll get to the celebrations.

ANDY MCDERMOTT: Yeah, I would like to be here for the inauguration, but I don't have tickets for it. I was too late.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: But for the moment, before the crowds arrive...

MCDERMOTT: We're probably going to go around and see if we can get in and have a coffee.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: A group of college students was taking pictures outside the hotel. They've just arrived in Washington for a semester-long internship. This will be Jason Summers' first time at an inauguration, and he's got a personal reason to look forward to the incoming Trump administration.

JASON SUMMERS: I'm actually a business and accounting major, so I'm pretty excited to see, actually, more of a businessman being in power and kind of seeing what happens there.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Fellow intern Keera Soofel knows that not everyone in D.C. is as enthusiastic as they are.

KEERA SOOFEL: I'm excited to just see how everything plays out, especially since D.C. is mostly liberal. So I think the day and especially the day after with the women's march will be very interesting. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.