Metro to Expand Rapid Bus Service Throughout the Region

[Howard Hartman]

Metro to Expand Rapid Bus Service Throughout the Region

Half of the people who ride Metrobuses could enjoy shorter and smoother trips under a plan that would expand Metro express bus service to 24 lines within six years.

Metro planners envision fewer stops, bus lanes and giving buses longer green lights. Officials say it will mean quicker trips for bus riders on the most popular bus routes that are often delayed in traffic clogged main thoroughfares in D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Riders also could park their cars in special park and ride lots and wait at transit centers and improved shelters before catching buses.

"This would be a major expansion of Metrobus service that is needed to cope with growing ridership demands during the next 25 years," said Metro General Manager John Catoe.

Metro planners predict ridership on Metrorail will increase 42 percent over the next 25 years to one million trips per average weekday. To handle the growth, Metro officials have proposed several improvements, including more eight-car trains, improving access to stations and buses, streetcars and expanding regional bus service.

"Not only will we shave an average of at least six minutes from a rider's trip, but we estimate the improvements will add at least an extra 10,000 trips a day on these lines," said Nat Bottigheimer, Metro's assistant general manager of planning and joint development.

Metro currently operates 171 bus lines with an average weekday ridership of about 450,000. The transit agency has five express bus routes, MetroExtra, which runs along Georgia Avenue in the District of Columbia.; REX, which runs along Richmond Highway in Fairfax County; Pike Ride on Columbia Pike, Crystal City-Potomac Yard (9A,9E,9S) in Arlington and the NH1 route to National Harbor in Prince George's County, which began last month. Ridership has grown 15-20 percent on three of the oldest lines since the first service began two years ago.

"Customers like faster service on newer more comfortable buses," Bottigheimer said.

Metro officials plan to expand the MetroExtra blue and silver buses that have white, red and blue striping to the other express lines. Bottigheimer says the corridors would still have local service but also limited stop and possibly shorter neighborhood shuttle bus service. Planners say new rapid service could launch on a few corridors every year until 2013. Major changes, including express service to the 30s line in D.C., begin next month. Planners are studying express service on Veirs Mill Road (Q2) in Montgomery County, 16th Street in the District of Columbia (S1, S2, S4) and Leesburg Pike (28AB, 28FG, 28T) in Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax County.

The improvements would cost an extra $4 million a year to operate. Metro officials say there also would be one-time capital costs of $326 million that include adding 135 buses, bus lanes and signal prioritization, park and ride lots and bus garages. Metro and transportation agencies would share in the costs.

"These improvements are less expensive than major rail expansion and will have the biggest impact on ridership in the short term," Catoe said.

Metro officials will present the proposal to the transit agency's Board on Thursday, May 22.