Metro News Release

For immediate release: December 18, 2003

Metrobus Walker Chapel-Pentagon line service restructured to become the Barcroft-South Fairlington line

Routes 22A, B, C, F affected

The Metrobus 22 Line will see several service improvements starting December 29 as a result of a restructuring of the bus line approved today by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) Board of Directors. The current Walker Chapel-Pentagon Line (Routes 22 A, B, C, F) winds through Arlington County connecting the Pentagon, Shirlington, Ballston-MU Metrorail station, Walker Chapel, East Falls Church Metrorail station, and Seven Corners and serves more than 20 percent of bus stops in the county. The changes to the line were made to shorten routes, add new service to South Fairlington, and improve bus adherence to the schedule to improve service reliability. As a result of the changes, the line will be renamed the Barcroft-South Fairlington Line, Route 22A. In addition, the Pentagon-Army-Navy Drive-Shirley Park Line, Route 22B will also be created. Details follow.The New Barcroft-South Fairlington Line Route 22A The Route 22A has been restructured to operate between the Ballston-MU Metrorail station and the Pentagon Metrorail station as follows:From Ballston-MU Metrorail station, the Metrobus will continue over the current 22A route to Shirlington (South Quincy and 28th Street South), then continue on South Quincy Street, 31st Street South, left onto South Abingdon Street, continue on 34th Street South, turn left at South Stafford Street, right onto 32nd Road South, left onto Quaker Lane into the Shirlington Rotary into the I-395 HOV or main lanes, to the Pentagon Metrorail station and return. The Route 22A will operate every 20 minutes during the peak hours and every 40 minutes during the midday and evening hours from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Service between the East Falls Church Metrorail station and the Ballston-MU Metrorail station will be replaced by new Arlington Transit (ART) Route 53. Service via Army-Navy Drive between Arna Valley/Avalon Bay and the Pentagon will be operated by new ART Route 81 (to be temporarily operated by Metrobus until June 2004 as route 22B). Replacement service through Parkfairfax, between Arna Valley and Shirlington, is available on Routes 10B and 23A, C. Replacement service on North Glebe Road between Ballston and Old Dominion Drive currently provided by Route 22F would be provided by Routes 23A, C, 38B, and ART 51. The Culpepper Gardens Retirement Home on North Henderson Road (present Route 22C) will continue to be served by an Arlington County senior services shuttle and nearby Metrobus 22A and 4B. The segment of Routes 22A, B between East Falls Church Metrorail station and Seven Corners will be discontinued without direct replacement. Depending on customers" origins and destinations, alternative service is available on Routes 1B-Z from Ballston-MU Metrorail station to Seven Corners, Routes 4A-S from Rosslyn Metrorail station to Seven Corners, or Falls Church GEORGE Routes 26A, E from East Falls Church Metrorail station to Roosevelt and Wilson Boulevards. The portion of Route 22F on North Glebe Road between Old Dominion Drive and Williamsburg Boulevard will be discontinued without replacement due to low ridership.The New Pentagon-Army-Navy Drive-Shirley Park Line, Route 22B/ART 81 ART Route 81 service will be operated temporarily by Metrobus as the Route 22B until June 2004. Route 22B will operate as a shuttle between the Pentagon Metrorail station and the Arna Valley area via the present Route 22A-F route from the Pentagon to 28th Street South and South Meade Streets, then continue via 28th Street South, right along South Lang Street, right onto South Glebe Road, right onto South Meade Street to terminal stand on the east side of South Meade Street, south of 28thStreet. It will return via South Meade Street, turn left onto 28th Street South, left onto 26th Street South and continue on the present Route 22A-F to the Pentagon Metrorail station. Route 22B will operate weekdays only, every 20 minutes during the peak hours and every 40 minutes during midday and evening hours from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Routes 25P and 25R will continue to serve Army-Navy Drive and the Arna Valley/Avalon Bay area after 9:30 p.m. weekdays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays with no change in the routes and schedules. The regular $1.20 fare will be charged on Route 22B. All established Metro transfer procedures will be in effect on this and all portions of the new routes. The reimbursed special resident rider free fare provision at designated stops in the AvalonBay area will be continued. Effective Monday, December 29, additional free fare stops will be implemented on Army-Navy Drive at 25th Street South to serve the residents of The Metropolitan of Arlington, 2455 Army-Navy Drive, in Arlington. For more information on Metrobus routes, visit www.metroopensdoors.com or commuterpage.com.

News release issued on December 18, 2003.