Metro Invites Rider Comment on Proposed Metrobus Route 42, 43, L1 and L2 Changes

(En Español)

Service Change Arroows

Service Change Proposals: Metro develops service proposals based on rider, bus operator, and other stakeholder input, and seeks feedback to identify preferred option(s).


Metro, along with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), conducted a service evaluation study on the Mount Pleasant and Connecticut Avenue bus lines between Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

On behalf of the project team, we thank you for taking the time to participate in the Mount Pleasant (42, 43) and Connecticut Avenue (L1, L2) Lines Service Evaluation Study. More than 8,500 comments were collected during this process that helped shape the final service recommendations.

Final reports are now available for viewing and can be found below:

The next step in Metro's service evaluation process is a formal public hearing about the final service recommendations that are considered a major service change, which will include additional feedback from the public and a review of any equity issues before Metro's Board of Directors makes a decision to permanently implement any recommendations from this study.

Study Phases & Outcomes:

In early 2017, a transit service assessment was completed that focused on all aspects of existing service on both routes. This included service characteristics, ridership and productivity data, service reliability, boarding and alighting data (entering and exiting the bus), passenger data, and bus stop spacing and facilities assessments.

Phase 1 (November 2017 - December 2017)

Focused on asking riders and bus operators about current issues they experienced on the routes and asked for rider suggestions on how to improve service.

The main issues riders expressed were:

  • "Bunching" - Buses were constantly "bunching" together and not staying spaced apart
  • Crowding - Buses were often overcrowded (standing room only)
  • Frequency - Buses didn't come often enough
  • Reliability - Buses were not arriving on schedule

Phase 2 (April 2017 - May 2017)

Focused on the issues from Phase 1 that helped develop and refine the service proposals for Phase 2. More than 5,900 comments were collected from the public about the refined proposals.

Phase 3 Final Service Recommendations

Route 42, 43 Mount Pleasant Line

  • Convert some Route 42 midday, evening and weekend trips to Route 43 trips operating between Mt. Pleasant and to Gallery Place Metrorail Station by using the underpass and bypassing Dupont Circle Metrorail Station.
  • Recalibrate the time needed for buses to make the trip along the route. This could possibly extend the time between buses or cause more resources to be required to maintain current service. This change will more accurately reflect the times buses serve each stop and allow buses to be more reliable.

Route L1, L2 Connecticut Avenue Line

  • Consolidate certain bus stops based on WMATA's bus stop spacing guidelines and daily average ridership thresholds.
  • Modify Route L1 to avoid the congested portions of Constitution Avenue NW in order to improve reliability.