Metro Fare Hike Public Meetings Begin Monday

8:09 AM, Feb 27, 2012   |    comments
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(WUSA) -- Metro plans on hiking its fares this summer to ease a budget crunch.  Before that, you'll have a chance to get your say.

The transit agency will hold six public hearings over the next two weeks to give commuters a chance to weigh in.  Each meeting begins with an open house at 6:00pm with the public hearing starting at 7:00pm.

WMATA is planning a 5% rate hike to rail fares.  It wants to increase the maximum Metrorail fare to $5.75 for SmarTrip card users.  People using paper fare cards would face a higher flat fee.  Metro would dump its 20-cent "peak-of-the-peak" surcharge.

Metrobus users would see SmarTrip fares go up 10 cents to $1.70.  People paying cash would pay $2.

Here is a list of the public hearing schedule, according to Metro's website:

Monday, Feb. 27
Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, MD

Wednesday, Feb. 29
Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Cafeteria
7130 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA

Thursday, March 1
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
John H. Kearney, Sr. Fellowship Hall
2616 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE
Washington, DC

Monday, March 5
Washington Lee High School Cafeteria
1301 N Stafford St
Arlington, VA

Tuesday, March 6
St. Columba's Episcopal Church
4201 Albemarle Street NW
Washington, DC

Wednesday, March 7
First United Methodist Church
6201 Belcrest Road
Hyattsville, MD