An online petition has been made to push the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for free Metrorail transportation on March 24 to avoid congestion and delays during the anti-gun violence rally, March For Our Lives.
The march is a result of the shooting massacre that left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018. Supporters across the U.S. are taking a stand with students from the parkland high school by traveling to the nation’s capital, or attending a “sibling march” in their state.
In D.C., the student-led March is set to take place along Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 12th streets in Northwest. According to the March’s D.C. Facebook page more than 30,000 people will attend and over 90,000 are interested.
Petitioners are concerned that visitors coming to D.C. will be confused about the Smart Trip cards and Metro fare rules, thus adding to delays.
The online petition is using the hashtag #openthegatesdc to spread awareness of a possible issue.
So far, WMATA has not released a statement about the petition, but they have announced plans to make bus detours and encourage visitors to plan ahead by purchasing and loading smart trip cards on-line and using the Metrorail early on March 24.
For more information on Washington, D.C. Metrobus and Metrorail services for March 24, click here.
