[MD-Sligo] FW: 1) WMATA renaming bus routes, removing 500 stops | WJLA; 2) Metro overhauls bus network | WaPo | Nov. 5, 2024

Sat Nov 9 21:30:01 UTC 2024

From: Denise Rush [mailto:drush301 at outlook.com] 
Sent: Saturday, November 9, 2024 4:11 PM
To: Deborah <deborahb14 at verizon.net>
Subject: FW: 1) WMATA renaming bus routes, removing 500 stops | WJLA; 2) Metro overhauls bus network | WaPo | Nov. 5, 2024

From: Tino Calabia <fcalabia36 at gmail.com <mailto:fcalabia36 at gmail.com> > 
Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2024 5:04 AM

FYI (for discussion by Board today):

https://wjla.com/news/local/proposed-metro-bus-route-changes-include-renaming-removing-500-stops

Proposed Metro bus route changes include renaming, removing removing 500 stops

by Tom Roussey   ABC7NewsOnYourSide   Nov. 5, 2024

WASHINGTON (7News) — Tuesday morning, Metro unveiled what the transit agency expects will be its final proposal for a revamp of the bus system that will take effect next summer.

The revamp will include major changes to many routes and the removal of more than 500 bus stops.

Dubbed the “Better Bus System,” the plan Metro unveiled also involves renaming routes in a way Metro officials believe makes more sense than the current haphazard naming system, which stems from when four companies consolidated in the 1970s.  [Emphasis added.]

Metro first came out with major proposed changes to many bus routes in the spring.  Since then, the transit agency says it has received tens of thousands of comments on the proposals, and has now made changes to its proposals based on those comments.

For example, Metro says it received numerous complaints that its proposal did not provide bus service to Massachusetts Avenue SE in an area west of the Anacostia River, so Metro made changes to a route that will be called C51 in order to provide such service.  The C51 route will make its way all the way from Tenleytown to Union Station to Anacostia.  [Emphasis added.]

In another case, Metro added a bus stop back that it initially proposed getting rid of.  Metro had planned to remove a bus stop at 23rd Street South and Grant Street in Crystal City, but after hearing from people in the area who felt that was a mistake, Metro changed its mind and added the stop back on what is today the 10A route, but what will be known as the A1 route.

Under Metro’s proposal, all bus routes will be renamed based on the primary geographic area they serve:

*	For routes in DC, routes that go downtown will start with a D, and “crosstown” routes will start with a C
*	Routes in Montgomery County will start with M
*	Routes in Prince George’s County will start with P
*	Routes in Arlington and Alexandria will start with A
*	Routes in Fairfax County and the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax will start with an F. [Emphasis added.]

The new names will start with those letters, followed by a number.  An X will be added to the end of the names of routes that have limited stops.

Some of the new names will likely take some getting used to.   For example, the well-known X2 route will become the D20 route, and the X9 route will become the D2X route.

Metro said as part of the Better Bus Network, it is proposing 11 more “frequent service routes” that operate every 12 or 20 minutes seven days a week.  It is also focusing on having routes go to destinations such as hospitals, grocery stores, malls, and entertainment areas.  In addition, to make bus service faster Metro is proposing the removal of 510 bus stops, which is around 5% of all stops that currently exist.

Metro’s board of directors is expected to discuss the final proposed changes on Thursday and then vote on them later this month.  [Emphasis added.]  The changes are expected to take effect next summer.

To view the final proposals for different bus routes, click  <https://wmata.com/initiatives/plans/Better-Bus/Resources.cfm#final> here.

Metro officials say they redesigned the bus network using the resources the transit agency already has, and they did not rely on an increase in funding.

Officials with the transit agency say if funding is increased in the future, they hope to make other changes to the bus network such as adding 24-hour bus service to local airports.

Metro finalizes massive overhaul of bus network, despite lack of funds

A controversial plan to send buses down First Street NW in Bloomingdale was scrapped, while service is being added to Upper Northwest, M Street and Union Station.

 <https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/rachel-weiner/?itid=ai_top_weinerre> Rachel Weiner      Washington Post       Nov. 5, 2024

An overhaul of the bus network in and around D.C. — the first major redesign of the system in half a century — will get a final vote this week.

Metro officials announced plans for the redesign earlier this year, and in response to thousands of public comments, the agency changed about half of the planned routes.

Metro is planning to eliminate 510 out of 9,500 bus stops, instead of the original proposal to cut 640.  Buses were added in places where residents said they would be stranded, and stops were moved from streets riders said were difficult to access or overcrowded with traffic.  [Emphasis added.]

The agency faces massive budget shortfalls, so adding service in one place meant cutting in others. For example, the route from U Street to Capitol Heights will run only during peak weekday hours.

Metro says that to truly meet people’s needs, the agency’s bus budget should be expanded by 35 percent. (Metro did get $10 million extra from D.C. to add service  <https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/09/10/metro-buses-replace-dc-circulator-routes/?itid=lk_inline_manual_8> replacing some routes of the Circulator, a city-run bus service ending this year.)

The  <https://www.wmata.com/about/board/meetings/board-pdfs/upload/3A-Better-Bus-2025-Network-Redesign-Approval-2.pdf> new routes are expected to be in place by next summer.

Below are some of the major changes from the plan  <https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/07/12/dc-bus-stop-overhaul/?itid=lk_inline_manual_13> proposed in July, after 21,000 public comments and about 150 meetings with riders, elected officials, bus operators and other stakeholders:

*	A route down First Street NW that drew opposition in Bloomingdale has been rerouted towards Massachusetts Avenue SE.
*	Service between Dupont Circle and the State Department has been restored, as have connections between Georgetown and Union Station and Bethesda and Silver Spring.
*	Service was restored to Barnaby Woods in upper Northwest, where residents said they needed the bus to be able to stay in their homes as they age out of driving.
*	More frequent service is being added on Baltimore Avenue and more connections offered in west Alexandria.

After the route system revamp, Metro says 30 percent of local buses will come at least three times an hour, and 20,000 more people will get weekend bus service. Metro’s board, which includes representatives from D.C., Maryland and Virginia, will vote on the plan Thursday.

With more money, Metro officials said they  <https://www.wmata.com/initiatives/plans/Better-Bus/upload/VisionaryNetworkSummary_DC-2.pdf> would add 24-hour bus service to Dulles in Virginia and National Harbor in Maryland, connect Bethesda and Tysons, and double the number of D.C. buses that come every 12 minutes.  But federal pandemic relief funds are ending while the impact of the pandemic on Metro’s finances has not.

Fewer people commuting to downtown offices has dug into rail revenue and the tax base that helps support Metro.  Bus ridership is now above pre-pandemic levels, but fare collection has collapsed.  The agency says  <https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/10/08/metro-bus-dc-fare-evasion/?itid=lk_inline_manual_22> 70 percent of riders don’t pay their fares.

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