Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 15, 2013

Metrobus service changes effective March 24 continue Better Bus improvement program

Improvements include new MetroExtra service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue to McPherson Square

New MetroExtra limited-stop service along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and later weekday service in Old Greenbelt are among the improvements that will take effect March 24, as Metro advances its Better Bus initiative, a $5 million investment in service to improve on-time performance and reliability while reducing crowding for customers along routes in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

The Better Bus initiative represents the biggest investment in bus service in five years and includes more limited-stop MetroExtra routes and refinements to 11 existing priority corridors. Overall, more than 150,000 customers—roughly one third of all bus customers—will benefit from more frequent service, additional capacity, or expanded hours of operation on selected routes.

Among the highlights of the initiative:

• New MetroExtra limited-stop service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue with extended service to McPherson Square
• New Saturday MetroExtra service on Georgia Avenue (Route 79) resulting in combined 70/79 service every 7-8 minutes at stops along the route.
• Additional service on the U Street-Garfield route to relieve crowding.
• Later service on the G12 and G16 routes in Greenbelt.
• Schedule adjustments to help buses stay on schedule.
• New MetroExtra limited-stop service along New Hampshire Avenue in Maryland.

View bus timetables

• District of Columbia
• Maryland
• Virginia

Below is a complete summary of bus changes effective March 24, 2013:

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

A9 M.L. King Jr. Avenue Limited (formerly South Capitol Street)
Route A9 is now MetroExtra service, with buses making limited northbound stops every 15 minutes during morning rush hours and limited southbound stops every 15 minutes during afternoon rush hours. The route will also be extended from L’Enfant Plaza station to McPherson Square for customer convenience. The route will be changed between the intersections of South Capitol Street & Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and South Capitol & M streets to operate via Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 11th Street Bridge, and M Street SE. 

79 Georgia Avenue Limited
New Saturday service will operate between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. with buses serving stops every 15 minutes. New weekday running times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. Weekday midday trips will be coordinated with Route 70 service so that buses will serve stops every 6 minutes on Georgia Avenue.

70 Georgia Avenue-7th Street
On Saturdays, buses will serve stops every 15 minutes (currently every 10 minutes). Service will be coordinated with new MetroExtra Route 79 Saturday service so that buses will serve stops every 7-8 minutes on Georgia Avenue.

90, 92 U Street-Garfield
To relieve crowding, one additional northbound trip will operate on each route between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Other trips during that hour will be adjusted so that buses will serve stops every 12 minutes on each route. A4, A5, NEW W5 Anacostia-Fort Drum Some A4 trips during the a.m. and p.m. peak periods will be shortened to operate between Anacostia station and Fort Drum. Route A5 will be replaced by a new Route W5 and operate between Anacostia station and D.C. Village via Firth Sterling Avenue and South Capitol Street. Southbound trips will leave Anacostia station every 18-20 minutes between 6:06 and 8:56 a.m. and northbound trips will leave D.C. Village every 20 minutes between 3:20 and 6:00 p.m.

H1 Brookland-Potomac Park
New running times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. One additional morning trip will be scheduled to relieve crowding. Southbound trips will leave Brookland-CUA station at 6:20, 6:40, 7:00, 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8:00, 8:15, 8:35, and 8:55 a.m. Northbound trips will leave Potomac Park at 4:15, 4:40, 5:00, 5:20, 5:45, and 6:10 p.m.

P6 Anacostia-Eckington
New weekday running times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. One additional northbound trip will be scheduled to leave Anacostia station between 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. to relieve crowding. Other trips during that hour will be adjusted so that buses serve stops every 12-14 minutes.

U2 Minnesota Avenue-Anacostia
Weekday southbound trips leaving Minnesota Ave station at 9:49 and 10:21 a.m. will be changed to leave at 9:40 and 10:30 a.m. and a new southbound trip will be scheduled to leave Minnesota Ave station at 10:05 a.m.

W4 Deanwood-Alabama Avenue
The portion of the route between Deanwood station and Capital Plaza will be discontinued. To relieve crowding, buses will serve stops every 22 minutes between 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

MARYLAND

T18 Annapolis Road
Weekday trip times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. During the midday, buses will serve stops every 30 minutes (currently every 33 minutes). Please check the new timetable for new trip times.

W4 Deanwood-Alabama Avenue
The portion of the route between Deanwood station and Capital Plaza will be discontinued. Maryland passengers should do the following:

DESTINATION	AT THIS STATION	TRANSFER TO
Schuster Dr. or Craftsman Cir.	Deanwood	R11,* R12*
P.G. Hospital	Cheverly	F1, F2, F8, F13
P.G. Hospital	Landover	A12
Capital Plaza	Cheverly	F13
Capital Plaza	Landover	A12

* To Kenilworth Ave. & Lydell Rd. then walk.

G12, G16 Greenbelt-New Carrollton
Later service during weekday evenings will be provided in Old Greenbelt. A new G12 trip will leave Greenbelt station at 10:55 p.m., arriving at Roosevelt Center via the North End at 11:12 p.m. The same bus will become a G16, leave Roosevelt Center at 11:13 p.m. and return to Greenbelt station, arriving there at 11:25 p.m. to connect with the last Monday through Thursday Green Line train. Customers who live in the South End may remain on this bus beyond Roosevelt Center as far as the last stop on Lakecrest Drive. A second new weekday G12 trip will leave Greenbelt station at 11:35 p.m. and will operate via the North End, Roosevelt Center, and through the South End to the last stop on Lakecrest Drive before Greenbelt Road, where it will terminate.

K6 New Hampshire Avenue
Weekday trip times during the midday will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. During the midday, buses will serve stops every 20 minutes (currently every 30 minutes). Please check the new timetable for new trip times.

Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5, Q6 Veirs Mill Road
Weekday, Saturday and Sunday trip times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. Please check the new timetable for new trip times.

VIRGINIA

Pentagon Transit Center bus bay changes
Bus boarding locations will change at the Pentagon for several Metrobus routes. Check signage or visit wmata.com for details.

2A,B,C,G Washington Boulevard
Weekday trip times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. Please check the new timetable for new trip times.

2T Tysons Corner-Dunn Loring
Weekday trip times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. Please check the new timetable for new trip times.

3Y Lee Highway-Farragut Square
Weekday trip times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. Please check the new timetable for new trip times.

10B Hunting Point-Ballston
Weekday, Saturday and Sunday trip times will be adjusted to help buses stay on schedule. Please check the new timetable for new trip times.
 

For additional information or assistance, please call Metro Customer Service at (202) 637-7000.