WASHINGTON — The Maryland Transit Administration announced Friday that many of its commuter buses will run modified routes for the Pope’s D.C. visit later this month.
On Sept. 23 and 24, Pope Francis will visit the White House and address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. The modified routes will begin and end at Metro stations, not at their usual stops, to avoid congestion and road closures.
The MTA said morning pick-up times will remain the same. Route 850 will run five extra trips, 15 minutes later than posted trip times. Riders will have to pay regular fares.
Routes 230, 240, 345, 610, 715, 830 and 840 will not run on those days. (See full list of changes below.)
The Office of Personnel Management is encouraging federal workers to telework during the pope’s visit.
Metro said it is preparing for the pope’s D.C. visit like it would prepare for a presidential inauguration. To accommodate extra riders, the agency plans to run nearly rush hour service much of the time Pope Francis is in the District.
MARC trains will run on a regular weekday schedule. Virginia Railway Express trains will run normal rail service while the pope is in D.C. VRE trains generally run inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon.
Christine Rodrigo, a spokeswoman with the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, said the transit agency is discussing whether to make any changes to its commuter bus routes during the pope’s visit, but a final decision has not been made yet.
Near Pentagon City, the Fairfax Connector Route 599 buses will bypass stops along Army Navy Drive and 15th Street west of South Eads Street, and South Hayes Street at Pentagon City Metro.
Go here for a map of that detour.
During the modified schedule — Sept. 22 through Sept. 24 — buses will operate via South Eads Street between Crystal City and the Pentagon.
Riders in the Pentagon City area should board buses at Metrobus stops along South Eads Street, between Army Navy Drive and 15th Street, or at the Pentagon Metro station, lower level bay L7.
Route 599 buses will resume regular routing on Sept. 25. All other Fairfax Connector routes will be operating normal routing during the Papal visit.
All of the pope’s D.C. events require tickets, including the outdoor mass that will draw thousands to the campus of Catholic University. Pope Francis will travel through the city in a Jeep Wrangler Popemobile that will allow people on the street to see him.
After Pope Francis leaves D.C., he will go to New York and Philadelphia.
He will celebrate an outdoor mass on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27.
Amtrak is running extra trains during the pope’s visit. As part of security measures, there will be no taxi service at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia when the pope is there. The station is about a mile from where the mass will be celebrated.
The full list of MTA Commuter Bus modifications
| Routes 201, 202, 203 and 204 — NO CHANGES (regular service)Route 220 — AM Trips will terminate at Landover Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Landover Metro Station.Buses will depart every 15 minutes between 3:45PM and 6:10PM with a mid-day trip scheduled to depart at 1PM.Route 230 — Will NOT operate.Route 240 — Will NOT operate.
Route 250 — AM Trips will terminate at Landover Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Landover Metro Station. Buses will depart every 25 minutes between 4PM and 6:10PM. Route 260 — AM Trips will terminate at Landover Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Landover Metro Station. Buses will depart every 30 minutes between 4PM and 6:30PM. Route 305 — AM Trips will terminate at Silver Spring Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Silver Spring Metro Station at the same times as depicted in the current timetable. Route 310 — NO CHANGES (regular service) Route 315 — AM Trips will terminate at Silver Spring Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Silver Spring Metro Station at the same times as depicted in the current timetable. Route 320 — NO CHANGES (regular service) Route 325 — AM Trips will terminate at Silver Spring Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Silver Spring Metro Station at the same times as depicted in the current timetable. Route 335 — AM Trips will terminate at Greenbelt Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Greenbelt Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 25 minutes between 3:30PM and 6:10PM with a mid-day trip scheduled to depart at 1PM. Route 345 — Will NOT operate. Route 410 and 411 — NO CHANGES (regular service) Route 420 — NO CHANGES (regular service) Route 505 — NO CHANGES (regular service) Route 515 — NO CHANGES (regular service) Route 610 — Will NOT operate. Route 620 — AM Trips will terminate at Branch Avenue Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Branch Avenue Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 20 minutes between 3:30PM and 7:20PM with a mid-day trip scheduled to depart at 1:15PM. Routes 630 and 640 — AM Trips will terminate at Branch Avenue Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Branch Avenue Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 20 minutes between 4PM and 6:20PM. Route 650 — AM Trips will terminate at Branch Avenue Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Branch Avenue Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 20 minutes between 3:50PM and 6:30PM with a mid-day trip departing at 1:15PM and one later trip departing at 7PM. This route will only serve Accokeek in the AM and PM. LaPlata and South Potomac Church stops will not be served. Those riders will need to use Route 630 on these days. Route 705 — AM Trips will terminate at Branch Avenue Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Branch Avenue Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 15 minutes between 2:50PM and 6:40PM with a mid-day trip departing at 1:15PM. Route 715 — Will NOT operate. Route 725 — AM Trips will terminate at Branch Avenue Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Branch Avenue Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 30 minutes between 3:40PM and 6:15PM. Route 735 — AM Trips will terminate at Suitland Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Suitland Metro Station. Buses will depart at the same times as depicted in the current timetable. Route 810 — AM Trips will terminate at Suitland Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Suitland Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 30 minutes between 4PM and 6PM. Route 820 — AM Trips will terminate at Suitland Metro Station; PM Trips will originate at Suitland Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 30 minutes between 3:55PM and 6:45PM with a mid-day trip departing at 1PM. Route 830 — Will NOT operate. Route 840 — Will NOT operate. Route 850 — AM Trips will terminate at Suitland Metro Station. Five (5) extra trips will operate every 15 minutes between 6:30AM and 7:45AM; PM Trips will originate at Suitland Metro Station. Buses will depart approximately every 15 minutes between 3:45PM and 6PM. |
