Pentagon child care center closed; public transit encouraged

The Defense Department has indefinitely closed the child care facility at the Pentagon following last week's terrorist attack, and is also encouraging employees to use public transportation to reach the building. The Pentagon Child Care Center, operated by contractor Children's World Learning Centers, has looked after about 200 children of military and civilian Pentagon workers each day. Officials have suggested that families call the Aramark Educational Resources hotline at 703-737-3200 for help in finding new child care facilities. "We have gotten quite a few calls from parents. Everything is up in the air right now because we don't know how long the center will be closed," said an Aramark representative who answered the hotline but declined to give her name. Aramark operates 29 Children's World Learning Centers in northern Virginia and Maryland and also runs on-site childcare facilities at several businesses in the District of Columbia. Meanwhile, Defense officials Monday encouraged all employees to use public transportation when coming to the Pentagon. The Pentagon Metrorail station is open but access is restricted to Pentagon employees with identification. Metrobus service meanwhile, will operate from the Pentagon City bus stop. Parking at the Pentagon will be severely limited, because emergency recovery crews will use much of the space. South parking will be accessible only from Fern Street, while north parking will be open as usual but with limited spaces. All employees parking at the Pentagon must show their building pass as well as a second form of identification. The carpool line that usually forms in south parking will move to Fern Street, northbound at Army-Navy Drive.