PlanItMetro

Earlier this year Metro completed a comprehensive service evaluation study of Routes 96 and 97.  Metro is currently looking at implementing some of the recommendations that emerged from the study in order to improve the speed and reliability of service and to better balance capacity and demand throughout the line.  The proposed restructuring would entail the following changes:

• Route 96 would run via 2nd Street and Massachusetts Avenue between 2nd & East Capitol Streets and Union Station.  The current route section between 1^st Street NE, Constitution Avenue, 1^st Street NW, Louisiana Avenue NW, D Street NE, 1^st Street NE would still be served only during a.m. and p.m. peak periods by Route 97.
• Route 96 would provide daily service, at all times, between Capitol Heights Station and Duke Ellington Bridge.  Service north of Duke Ellington Bridge would be discontinued and replaced with a new Route 98 that would run between the Tenleytown-AU Metrorail Station and the U Street Metrorail Station.
• Routes 96, 97, and 98 would each run every 20 minutes during the AM and PM peak periods, providing 10 minute frequency between Capitol Heights and Union Station.
• Routes 96 and 98 would run every 30 minutes off-peak and on weekends.

The map below illustrates the changes proposed. Please review and let us know what you think.  We will also be presenting these options at our upcoming public hearings.

Map of proposed changes to 96 and 97 routes, including new Route 98. Click image for larger version.

In order to better serve riders on the New Hampshire Avenue corridor in Maryland, Metro is proposing to extend the K9 to the White Oak Shopping Center.  Currently, the K9 travels between Northwest Park and the Fort Totten Metrorail station, but under the proposed service change, the following would occur:

• The K9 would be extended to White Oak with new limited stops at Oakview Drive, Hillandale Shopping Center, Schindler Drive/Mahan Road/FDA, Lockwood Drive, and the White Oak Transit Center.    The service would operate every 12-15 minutes during AM and PM rush.
• The K9 would no longer operate through the Northwest Park apartment complex.
• K9 northbound trips during the AM rush and southbound trips during the PM rush would replace K6 service to the FDA at the Federal Research Center.
• During hours the K9 is operating, every other K6 would terminate at Northwest Park.  K6 service would operate every 20 minutes between White Oak and Fort Totten and every 10 minutes between Northwest Park and Fort Totten.

Potential rerouting of the K9:  In addition to, and independent of, extending the K9 to White Oak, Metro is also looking at rerouting the K9 between Eastern Avenue and Ft. Totten to serve the new Fort Totten Square development.  With this change, the K9 would access Ft. Totten via Eastern Avenue and Riggs Road, with a new stop at Riggs Road and Chillum Place.  The existing southbound stops on New Hampshire Avenue at Eastern Ave. and Rittenhouse St. would be replaced by a single stop on Eastern Ave. at Rittenhouse St.

The map below illustrates the changes proposed. Please review and let us know what you think.  We will also be presenting these options at our upcoming public hearings.

Map showing proposed changes to the K6 and K9 routes. Click image for larger version.

As part of the opening of Phase 1 of the Silver Line, the District Department of Transportation has requested that Metro investigate the possibility of discontinuing Route 5A which currently serves Dulles Airport via L’Enfant Plaza, Rosslyn, and Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride.   Under this proposal, the 5A would be discontinued in June, 2014 (several months after the Silver Line opens).  Passengers wishing to travel to Dulles Airport would be able to take the Silver Line to the Wiehle-Reston East station and then transfer to the Fairfax Connector 981 bus.

• Travel times on the 5A currently range between 50 and 65 minutes from L’Enfant Plaza to Dulles and 45 to 70 minutes between Dulles and L’Enfant Plaza.
• Travel time on the Silver Line between L’Enfant Plaza and Wiehle-Reston East is anticipated to be approximately 45 minutes.
• The Fairfax Connector 981 will run every 20 minutes weekdays and Saturdays and every 40 minutes on Sundays.
• The current fare on the 5A is $6.00.  For passengers taking the Silver Line from stations east of Foggy Bottom, the fare to Wiehle-Reston East will be $5.75 plus a $1.10 transfer fare on the Fairfax Connector.  (Fares are based on use of a SmarTrip card.)

In addition to the option above, Metro is also considering the following options:

Option 2 – Shorten the 5A to run between Dulles Airport and Wiehle-Reston East station

Option 3 – Only operate Route 5A before opening and after closing of Metrorail service on weekdays and/or weekends

The maps below illustrates the changes proposed. Please review and let us know what you think.  We will also be presenting these options at our upcoming public hearings.

Map illustrating proposed changes to Route 5A. Click image for larger version.