Water-Taxi Service from Alexandria to Georgetown Sunk by Government Shutdown

By Todd Richissin 

You can still hop on a water taxi in Alexandria to Georgetown, but don't count on getting off the boat. Thank the government shutdown.

WJLA reports that the National Park Service has shut down the dock and a boarding site near the MLK Memorial.

"I never see any federal presence," Virginia resident Jeff Fogel told the station. "I think the administration is trying to make this as painful as possible, and they're afraid otherwise we won't miss the federal government."

The Alexandria-based Potomac Riverboat Company that operates the service told WJLA that the loss of Georgetown as a port has required it to lay off eight employees.

"You estimate you're losing $5,000 a day in revenue," Charlotte Hall, the company's vice president, told the station. "It's very frustrating and you feel very helpless—not only because your business is losing money, but you're losing visitors to Alexandria."