Celebrities Among Donors Funding Baltimore Buses To DC March

BALTIMORE, MD — Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has helped coordinate transportation so that local students can get to the March for Our Lives rally Saturday in Washington, D.C. Buses are scheduled to leave from various locations across the city Saturday morning to take youths to the rally, and lunch will be provided.

"We as a city believe that enough is enough and that more should be done on a local, state and federal level to address gun violence and illegal guns on our streets!" Pugh said this month after students showed up at City Hall to advocate for gun reform after more than a dozen people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

"I was so proud to see students and youth united for such a great cause," Pugh said after meeting with young activists. "In addition to meeting with the students, I also announced that we would be getting 60 buses to take to Washington on March 24 so that the voices of the children of our city will be heard," Pugh said at the time.

Added Pugh: "I'm hoping to have at least 3,000 students from our city represented at the March for Our Lives rally on March 24."

Pugh, who came under scrutiny on Fox News for putting resources toward the march, said that she was contacted by outside groups organizing the March for Our Lives rally in D.C.; organizers specifically wanted Baltimore City students there.

The controversy actually ended up causing private donations to come pouring in, Pugh told WJZ.

NBA star Carmelo Anthony, who grew up in Baltimore, announced Thursday that he was partnering with MTV and the NAACP to fund trips for Baltimore youths to get to the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C.

Eight locations throughout Baltimore will be sending buses on Saturday morning to D.C. The buses will arrive at the National Mall before the March for Our Lives event.

Register for a seat on one of the buses. Pugh has said that no public funds are being used for the event.

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The National Park Service expects 500,000 to attend the rally in D.C.

Momentum for the march grew this week after a school shooting at a Maryland high school about 65 miles from Washington, D.C. A student opened fire at Great Mills High School Tuesday morning in St. Mary's County. Two students suffered gunshot wounds before the shooter exchanged gunshots with a school resource officer, and the gunman was pronounced dead at an area hospital. One of the victims was released from the hospital Wednesday, and a 16-year-old girl who was shot was taken off life support Thursday night, her family said.

The March for Our Lives in D.C. has attracted financial support from celebrities, including Amal and George Clooney, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, who have each donated at least $500,000. Many other celebrities have offered support as well. Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson and Demi Lovato are expected to join the marchers in D.C.

When and where will the March for Our Lives take place?
The march is scheduled to start at noon on Saturday, March 24, in Washington, D.C.

The route will run along Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown D.C., from 3rd Street (near the front of the U.S. Capitol) to 12th Street (a few blocks from the White House and near the entrance of Trump International Hotel).

What kind of road closures can be expected?

Road closures will begin early. Parking will be blocked from the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW down Pennsylvania Avenue and also on Constitution Avenue on Friday. From 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, several roads will be closed; check the map.

Can people take the MARC train?

Yes, but the train will be operating on a modified schedule and may be overcrowded.

What about Metro?

If you intend to use Metro and don't have a SmarTrip card, you better get one to avoid long lines. Keep in mind you can also buy them at CVS Pharmacies and Giant Food stores.

Metro will be running special rush-hour service throughout the day and is adding staff for the event.

Trains will run every 8 minutes starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday on all Metro rail lines, which means Downtown D.C. stations will be serviced every 2-4 stations. If you're headed for the march, you're advised to leave well in advance of the noon start time as hundreds of thousands of people will make it difficult to board trains at the rally's peak.

The Federal Triangle Station will be shut down because of how close it is to the event, so use Metro Center station instead.

Metro also offered the following additional information on Saturday's service:

• Metrorail will open at 7 a.m., with trains departing end-of-line stations every 8 minutes and additional trains on the Red Line between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Silver Spring. At Downtown DC stations, trains will arrive every 2-4 minutes.
• Rush-hour service levels will continue throughout the day until approximately 6 p.m. or as ridership levels warrant.
• Off-peak fares will be in effect all day.
• Regular Saturday parking rates ($2 per vehicle) will be in effect.
• Allow additional travel time due to large crowds, long lines and full trains. Metro recommends traveling as early in the day as possible.
• Metrobus will operate on a normal Saturday schedule, with routes near Downtown DC subject to detours and delays due to road closures for the event.

Travel Tips

• Those arriving in DC via Union Station (Amtrak, MARC or intercity bus services) should simply walk to the event rather than attempting to transfer to Metro's Red Line.
• Avoid transfers. Pick a destination station on the same line as where you started. When traveling to the March consider L'Enfant Plaza.
• Metro Transit Police continuously patrol stations and trains, both in uniform and in plain clothes. Please note that items carried onto the Metro system may be subject to random security screening by uniformed Transit Police officers.
• Tampering with or disabling Metro equipment, such as escalators, elevators, train doors or emergency equipment, is unlawful and may result in arrest.
• In the event of an emergency, intercoms are located on station platforms and aboard trains. Follow the direction of police officers and Metro personnel, and listen for public address announcements.

Patch editor Dan Taylor contributed to the reporting.

Photo courtesy of Mayor Catherine Pugh.