Women's March in LA expected to draw thousands

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- If you're headed downtown for this year's Women's March, you're encouraged to ditch your vehicle for the Metro because thousands of people are expected to flood the streets.

But you'd better buy a round-trip ticket before you arrive at the station. Last year, it took hours for some to buy TAP cards.

"It's a huge day for Metro. We're going to have extra trains out there, extra personnel, extra security. We want everyone to ride Metro. It's the best way to go to get to the start of the march," said Metro spokesman Rick Jagger.

Hundreds of thousands turned out for the 2017 march, and although Saturday is expected to draw 200,000, Metro isn't taking any chances.

"For the subway, we're going to be running full six-car trains. They'll be operating every six minutes throughout the day. We're adding service on the Gold Line which reaches out to the San Gabriel Valley, to Azusa. So there'll be a lot of service on there, personnel to help," said Jagger.

The Women's March will start at Pershing Square at 10 a.m., and participants will make their way to Grand Park. Many downtown streets will be closed for most of the day.

"I think Angelenos sometimes don't want to walk. Walk a few minutes. You can get a ride share easily, get on a bus and not have to depend on those main lines," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Celebrities including Scarlett Johansson, Olivia Munn and Alfre Woodard are expected to march as well. This year, the march is focused on on organizing for the November midterm elections.

"We are so excited as people exercise their patriotic duty to get out there and speak their opinions. I joined the Women's March last year and it really laid the foundation for the me too and time's up movement as people are now looking to what they can do locally. What they can do in their workplace, on their block. It's not just what comes out of the White House," said Garcetti.