Metro Seeks Changes to Busy Bus Routes

Metro is planning to improve bus service on its highest ridership line, which carries 20,000 daily riders along the major east-west route in the District, by shortening some long routes and adding two rush-hour express services that officials say will reduce commute times for thousands of riders.

The transit agency also is planning to add a limited-stop bus route next month to run between the Southern Avenue Metro station in Prince George's County and the new National Harbor resort and convention center. And to prepare for the start of baseball season, the agency wants to add evening and weekend service to its Navy Yard shuttle to help ferry fans to the District's new ballpark.

Metro board committees are scheduled to take action on the bus service plans today.

The biggest changes involve Metro's oldest and most popular line, the 30s line, which includes five routes that run primarily along Pennsylvania Avenue from Naylor Road and Southern Avenue Metrorail stations to the Foggy Bottom area and along Wisconsin Avenue from Georgetown to Friendship Heights. The M6, which runs along a portion of Pennsylvania Avenue near the District-Prince George's border, is also part of the 30s line.

"The line connects residential portions to employment portions of the city," said Jim Hughes, Metro's senior planner. "It's a key transit route that goes back to the horse and buggy. Abraham Lincoln rode portions of it."

Currently, the buses on the 30s line travel a 14-mile route and pass through more than 130 traffic lights. Riders complain that the routes are too long and too crowded and that there are too many delays. Bunching, when several buses arrive in quick succession, also is a problem.

If one traffic light is out, buses on the entire route are affected, Hughes said. "If the vice president goes out with his motorcade, everybody gets affected."

Under the proposal, Metro would keep two of the main east-west routes and eliminate three others. Metro would add two express routes, keep one neighborhood route and add two neighborhood routes, which are shorter and serve specific areas, Hughes said.

The express routes would mean riders "get to work 20 percent faster," Hughes said. On a 50-minute trip, riders would save about 10 minutes.

Shortening some routes would allow buses to stay closer to schedule because they would be less likely to be delayed by traffic tie-ups on the other side of town, he said. The changes also would enable Metro to respond more quickly to changes in ridership, he said.

The east-west routes that would stay the same are 32, which runs between the Southern Avenue and Friendship Heights Metrorail stations, and 36, which operates between Naylor Road and Friendship Heights. The M6, which goes from the Potomac Avenue station to Fairfax Village, on the District's border with Prince George's, also would stay the same.

The east-west routes that would be eliminated are 30 34, and 35.

Metro is proposing to add two express routes that would operate only during morning and evening rush hours. Route 37 would run between Friendship Heights and Archives-Memorial stations, bypassing Georgetown. Route 39 would run between the Naylor Road Station and Washington Circle. The buses would make about 10 stops instead of the current 27, which is typical of east-west routes.

The two new routes would serve specific neighborhoods: The 31 would run from the Friendship Heights Metro station to Washington Circle, and the M5 would run from the Naylor Road to Eastern Market stations.

Metro and District transportation officials have been working to improve service along the line for more than a year. Officials said they incorporated rider input gathered from public meetings and through a survey. Staff members are asking Metro board members for permission to present the proposals at public hearings next month. If the board gives final approval, the changes would be put into effect in early summer, officials said.

It costs about $15 million to operate the 30s line, and officials estimate the service improvements would add $500,000 annually to the cost.

Metro is also seeking to boost service on the Navy Yard shuttle, Route N22, which runs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Union Station and the Navy Yard station via Eastern Market. Starting March 30, Metro plans to run service evenings until 10:30 and weekends, every 10 minutes, on a modified route that will provide shorter, faster service to the ballpark.

Beginning March 23, Metro will operate the National Harbor route, NH-1, to the resort and convention center. The route will run from the Southern Avenue Metrorail station along Southern Avenue, Indian Head Highway (Route 210), Oxon Hill Road, the Oxon Hill Park-and-Ride lot and National Harbor roadways.