From what I saw and experienced following the earthquake, the DC area is not ready for anything. It's been 10 years since 9/11 and yesterday showed that DC is in real trouble when it comes to emergencies (personally, it was no big thing for me).
As far as evacuation from DC, I give the town an F. Traffic signals were not switched over to evening rush hour mode. Metro ran at reduced speed through the whole evening (15 mph max). Metro buses were not switched to rush hour routes and schedules (the ones that were, displayed incorrect destination signs due to a programming problem). HOV restrictions were not lifted from the onset. Accidents that blocked lanes were cleared at the normal leisurely pace (one exception, the fatal van vs. semi on I-66 actually wrapped up in under 2 hours total, including investigation).
DC's overall preparedness.....Communication structure is still lacking capacity. Cell phones and land lines were inaccessible for approx 45 minutes following quake due to overwhelming volume. Most of the emergency preparedness guides handed out to almost all gov and contract employees must have been used to level out tables or act as coasters since hardly anyone knew what to do.
Thank God I wasn't working downtown yesterday (normally at the Treasury), I was in Herndon, but it still took almost 2 hours to get home compared to my usual hour and a little. I left work at normal time at 1400, but by then a lot of the idiots were already hitting the roads.
I'm not new to quakes, lived in CA for 8 years. 5.8 not a big deal. But I would like to ask that the West coast folks cut the Easterners a little slack. True, 5.8 is nothing out there, but that area has been developed to withstand a 5.8 without issue due to different building code standards. Just like building codes are different in Florida so that the roof doesn't blow off during a moderate hurricane.
On the East coast, 6.0 is probably the most you could withstand before you start to see major structural damage, mainly because of allowable codes. We do not have to incorporate the level of shear resistance and structure to foundation attachment that is required in CA. Also to be considered is the age of the majority of the buildings in and around DC. Some of these buildings are over 200 years old, what's the oldest building in LA or SanFran?
One last thought...
I was surprised when I got to Front Royal, it had been over 2 hours since the quake and gas prices hadn't gone up!!! Seems like they missed a golden excuse to jack us for another dime or so per gallon. Why not, they use every other reason.