On May 21, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced service improvements for the DC Circulator that will be implemented starting Sunday, June 24. The service changes are part of a process that began with the 2017 DC Circulator Transit Development Plan to assess overall system performance.
Service changes include reconfiguration of the current Union Station – Navy Yard (US-NY) and Potomac Avenue – Skyland via Barracks Row (PS) routes; adding permanent late-night service between McPherson Square and Union Station; and discontinuing the DC Circulator-exclusive paper fare passes.
The route realignments will create new one-seat connections currently unavailable by Metrorail or Metrobus. Additionally, these changes will better align DDOT’s resources with growing activity centers such as Congress Heights and Southwest Waterfront as well as improving the reliability of DC Circulator service.
“These service changes build upon our concerted efforts to improve the DC Circulator system,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian. “Along with 40 new buses added to the fleet in the last year, including the largest fleet of electric buses on the east coast, these changes will improve the reliability of the service and bring the DC Circulator to activity centers in each quadrant of the District.”
Before the DC Circulator implemented these changes, the team conducted an extensive public involvement plan. The public was invited to comment online and in public meetings. DDOT also visited and met with affected Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs).
The major service changes to Potomac Avenue Metro – Skyland and Union Station – Navy Yard Metro were part of the recommendations identified by the 2017 Transit Development Plan (TDP) Update planning process. The final TDP document is available online at dccirculator.com/tdp2017.
Following are the route realignments:
NEW
Eastern Market Metro – L’Enfant Plaza Metro (EMLP): new service connecting Eastern Market Metro to L’Enfant Plaza Metro via Barracks Row, Navy Yard Metro, M Street SE/SW, and Waterfront Metro.
Metrobus routes continue to serve eliminated stops along Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Riders connecting from Union Station to Eastern Market can use the new Congress Heights – Union Station route.
NEW
Congress Heights – Union Station (CHUS): new service connecting Union Station and Congress Heights Metro via Barracks Row and Historic Anacostia.
Metrobus will provide additional Route 92 service for riders along Good Hope Road and additional U8/W4 service along Alabama Avenue from Congress Heights to Skyland Town Center.
Service Hour Adjustments
- Eastern Market – L’Enfant Plaza Metro route will run from 6 am – 9 pm on weekdays and 7 am – 9 pm on weekends.
- Congress Heights – Union Station route will run 6 am – 9 pm on weekdays
and 7 am – 9 pm on weekends. - Georgetown – Union Station route will continue year-round late-night service between McPherson Square and Union Station from 9 pm to 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Fare Payment Option Revisions
- The DC Circulator exclusive paper bus passes will be discontinued.
- No new paper passes will be sold after June 23, 2018.
- Current paper pass holders can redeem their passes until September 30, 2018. After this date, these passes will not be accepted.
- Riders will still have the option to purchase the SmarTrip ®-based “7-Day Regional Bus Pass” sold by WMATA, and all other DC Circulator payment methods will remain unchanged.
- No change is proposed to the base fare of $1 per trip.
More Information on all DC Circulator service changes can be found online at www.dccirculator.com/2018servicechanges or by calling the customer service line at 202-671-2020.
