WASHINGTON — Metro is set to provide the first actual alternative options for riders since cutting back late night rail service in June.
A series of Metrobus changes that begin Dec. 18 include new late-night bus connections:
- from Connecticut Avenue and Adams Morgan in D.C. through Friendship Heights to Bethesda (the L2 line)
- from Franklin Square in downtown D.C. through the Pentagon to Columbia Pike in Arlington (the 16E)
- from Rhode Island Ave. Metro to College Park (the 83); and
- along the Orange Line corridor from Farragut Square to Ballston (the 38B)
The changes were also included as part of recommended proposals provisionally approved by a Metro Board committee last week. The additional bus service in that proposal would begin in July when possible new hours take effect for the rail system. That “lifeline” bus service plan was estimated to cost $2 million per year.
Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly said these more limited changes going into effect Dec. 18 also include some service reductions on other routes and are expected to be revenue neutral. That means the changes should not impact Metro’s budget.
The other changes
A new bus-only tunnel in Rosslyn under the high-rises just built across from the Metro station will allow buses to return to the bus stops in front of the station exit.
The end of major construction impacts means a number of lines that go through Rosslyn, including the 5A bus to Dulles International Airport, will have slightly revised schedules.
Elsewhere in Virginia, the 21A bus connecting Landmark, Bren Mar Park and Pentagon will now be scheduled every 15 minutes on weekday mornings to ease crowding.
In Maryland, some C2 and C4 trips between Greenbelt and Twinbrook and southbound K6 trips along New Hampshire Avenue will begin using the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center.
In the District, new bus stops will be added behind Union Station near the end of the D.C. Streetcar for the X lines.
Several routes are getting schedule updates.
The Late-night service changes as explained by Metro
L1, L2 Connecticut Avenue (D.C./Maryland)
- Late night Friday and Saturday Route L2 service will be added and extend to Friendship Heights and Bethesda Metrorail stations, departing from Farragut Square every 30 minutes between midnight and 2 a.m. to provide connections for customers due to the earlier closure of the Metrorail system.
J2 Bethesda-Silver Spring (Maryland)
- Additional Friday and Saturday late night service will operate every 60 minutes, with one additional eastbound trip and two additional westbound trips between Bethesda and Silver Spring Metrorail stations to provide connections for customers due to the earlier closure of the Metrorail system.
16E Columbia Pike (Virginia/D.C.)
- Late night weekday and Saturday service will be extended from the Pentagon Transit Center to Franklin Square in downtown D.C. via 14th Street to provide connections for customers due to the earlier closure of the Metrorail system.
38B Ballston-Farragut Square (Virginia/D.C.)
- Two additional late night round trips will be added on Friday and Saturday to provide connections for customers due to the earlier closure of the Metrorail system.
80 North Capitol Street (D.C.)
- The last two weekday northbound trips leaving the Kennedy Center at 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. will only operate to Brookland Metrorail Station.
- The last two Saturday and Sunday northbound trips leaving the Kennedy Center at 1:04 a.m. and 1:34 a.m. will only operate to Brookland Metrorail Station.
82, 83, 86 College Park (Maryland/D.C.)
- Route 82 trips will be replaced by modified Route 83 trips.
- Select late night Route 83 trips will operate between Rhode Island Ave and College Park-U of Md Metrorail stations to provide connections for customers due to the earlier closure of the Metrorail system.
94 Stanton Road (D.C.)
- The last weeknight trip will depart Anacostia Metrorail Station at 11:58 p.m. and Stanton Road at 12:08 a.m.
- The last Saturday trip will depart Anacostia Metrorail Station at 11:58 p.m. and Stanton Road at 12:09 a.m.
- The last Sunday trip will depart Anacostia Metrorail Station at 11:57 p.m. and Stanton Road at 12:08 a.m.
D2 Glover Park-Dupont Circle (D.C.)
- The last Monday through Thursday trips will depart Glover Park at 12:21 a.m. and Dupont Circle at 12:44 a.m.
- The last Friday trip will depart Glover Park at 1:01 a.m. and Dupont Circle at 1:24 a.m.
- The last Saturday trip will depart Glover Park at 1:12 a.m. and Dupont Circle at 1:35 a.m. The last Sunday trip will depart Glover Park at 11:50 p.m. and Dupont Circle at 12:06 a.m.
E2 Ivy City-Fort Totten (D.C.)
- Late night weekday trips after 11 p.m. will be adjusted to leave Fort Totten Metrorail Station at 11 p.m., 11:45 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., and leave Ivy City at 11:23 p.m. and 12:04 a.m.
H6 Brookland-Fort Lincoln (D.C.)
- The last weeknight trip will depart Brookland-CUA Metrorail Station at 12:08 a.m. and Fort Lincoln at 12:19 a.m.
- The last Saturday trip will depart Brookland-CUA Metrorail Station at 12:12 a.m. and Fort Lincoln at 12:24 a.m.
K6 New Hampshire Avenue-Maryland (Maryland)
- The last two late night Saturday northbound trips will depart at 12:41 a.m. and 1:11 a.m.
U7 Deanwood-Minnesota Ave Station (D.C.)
- The last weeknight trip will depart Minnesota Ave Metrorail Station at 12:35 a.m. and Deanwood Metrorail Station at 12:50 a.m.
- The last Saturday trip will depart Minnesota Ave Metrorail Station at 12:42 a.m. and Deanwood Metrorail Station at 1 a.m.
- The last Sunday trip will depart Minnesota Ave Metrorail Station at 12:30 a.m. and Deanwood Metrorail Station at 12:42 a.m.
W8 Garfield-Anacostia Loop (D.C.)
- The Sunday late night trip leaving Anacostia Metrorail Station at 12:15 a.m. will be adjusted to leave at 12:30 a.m. to improve coordination with the last Green Line train to Branch Ave Metrorail Station
