The Massachusetts Avenue Line is operated by routes N2, N4, and N6. Routes N2 and N4 only operate during weekdays, while route N6 operates after 7:00 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends as a combination of routes N2 and N4.
Route N2 operates via Wisconsin Avenue, Nebraska Avenue, New Mexico Avenue, Cathedral Avenue, Idaho Avenue (to Friendship Heights), Massachusetts Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, 18th Street, and P Street which the route terminating along 17th and I Streets NW, serving the Wesley Heights neighborhood.
Route N4 operates along Western Avenue, Westmoreland Circle, and Massachusetts Avenue following the N2 routing to Dupont Circle.
Route N6 operates along the N4 routing, but operates on a clockwise loop in Wesley Heights along the N2 routing along Idaho Avenue, Cathedral Avenue, New Mexico Avenue, and Nebraska Avenue, going westbound to Friendship Heights and eastbound to Farragut Square.
Route N2, N4, and N6 currently operate out of Western division. Select route N2 and N4 rush-hour trips are operated by Montgomery division. During the afternoon peak hours, routes N2 and N4 utilize the 2016 New Flyer XE40 buses WMATA owns (1001).
History
The XE40 on the N4 running to Farragut Square in 2017
The N2 and N4 originally began operating under streetcar lines by the Washington Railway & Electric Company in the 1900s. The route would operate between the Friendship Heights neighborhood to Downtown Washington D.C. Differences for the N2 and N4 was the N2 would operate in the Wesley Heights neighborhood along Nebraska Avenue, New Mexico Avenue, Cathedral Avenue, Idaho Avenue while the N4 remains along Massachusetts Avenue. The N2 and N4 later were formed into buses on May 13, 1925.[2]
When the Capital Transit Company took over the Washington Railway & Electric Company, route N4 was rerouted to Glen Echo Park along the Maryland side of Massachusetts Avenue and Goldsboro Road.[2]
The N4 routing to Glen Echo Park was later replaced by route N7 and Ride On route 29 when the N4 was shortened to terminate at Westmoreland Circle.[2]
Route N1 and N3 were introduced to operate as the Massachusetts Avenue–Federal Triangle Line providing express service along Massachusetts Avenue going from Friendship Heights to Federal Triangle. But both routes were eliminated.[3]
The Capital Transit Company was later acquired by DC Transit in 1956 which later formed into Metrobus on February 4, 1973.[4]
On August 25, 1984, when Friendship Heights station opened, routes N1, N2, and N3 were rerouted to terminate at the newly opened station.
A new N6 was later introduced to operate alongside the N2 and N4 but run during the late nights and weekends as a combination to routes N2 and N4 operating in the Wesley Heights Neighborhood alongside the N2 in the clockwise direction (going westbound) but remaining along Massachusetts Avenue going eastbound.
In 1996, routes N1 and N3 were eliminated and replaced by route N4 which was extended from its terminus from Westmoreland Circle to Friendship Heights station along Western Avenue.
On December 29, 1996, route N6 was eliminated and replaced by routes N2 and N4 which added late night and weekend service at frequencies of every 24–32 minutes during weekday peak periods in the counterclockwise direction, every 36 minutes weekdays between approximately 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM, every 40 minutes weekday evenings after 7:30 PM, and every 50 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays.[5]
In 1999, route N6 was reincarnated on its previous routing to replace the N2 and N4 during the late nights and weekends as both routes had low ridership during the post PM Peak hours and weekends. Route N6 would operate for the N2 and N4 as one route to fill the low demand the N2 and N4 had during the times the N6 will operate.
On June 25, 2000, route N2 was rerouted to operate along Wisconsin Avenue, Tenley Circle, and Nebraska Avenue instead of operating along Western Avenue as the route overlapped the N4. The reroute N2 would serve the Tenleytown neighborhood and Tenleytown–AU station plus give additional service for routes 30, 32, 34, 35, and 36 along Wisconsin Avenue and route M4 along portions of Nebraska Avenue. Service between Ward Circle and Cathedral and Massachusetts Avenues (to Farragut Square) plus Massachusetts and Idaho Avenues (to Friendship Heights) were unaffected.[6][7]
A new route N3 was also introduced to operate during the weekday peak hours in the peak direction between Friendship Heights station and Federal Triangle via the N4 routing along Western Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, but turn onto 20th Place and operate along 23rd Street, Virginia Avenue, Constitution Avenue, and 12th Street terminating along Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street during the AM Peak Hours and beginning on 12th Street and Constitution Avenue during the PM Peak Hours.[6]
In 2010 during WMATA's FY2011 budget, WMATA proposed to eliminate the N3 as it overlaps other services and to only operate the N2 and N4 during the weekday peak hours. Route N6 would operate during the weekday midday hours with post PM peak hours and weekend service remaining unchanged. WMATA also proposed to reroute the N2 along Massachusetts Avenue, Westmoreland Circle, and Western Avenue from Ward Circle. Alternative service is provided by route M4 along Nebraska Avenue and Tenleytown station and routes 32 and 36 along Wisconsin Avenue.[8]
On September 25, 2011, route N2 was rerouted along Massachusetts Avenue, Westmoreland Circle, and Western Avenue via the N3, N4, and N6 routing in order to replace portions of route N8 which was eliminated. Service to Tenleytown–AU station and the N2 portion along Nebraska Avenue was discontinued.[9][10][11]
Route N3 was also rerouted from the Friendship Heights bus bays to begin/end at Western Avenue and Jenifer Street due to Friendship Heights reaching its bus capacity. Passengers would have to walk a short distance to the Mazza Gallerie Metro station entrance as a result.[10][11]
Many residents from Glover Park and Wesley Heights voiced frustration over the N2 reroute with residents losing direct access to Tenleytown–AU station. Brian Cohen, the chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3B, told WMATA and DDOT representatives who attended a December 2011 meeting that as a public entity, metro's first obligation is to serve the public stated:[12]
It is unacceptable to make these kinds of changes without public input.
WMATA Bus planner David Erion told residents that the change to the N2 line was not "significant enough" to meet the legal threshold requiring public input. But many residents called Erion's statement pathetic and that both WMATA and DDOT have total disdain for both Glover Park and Wesley Heights. DDOT's Steve Strauss told neighbors that in making the changes, both his agency and WMATA assumed the community "wanted to maintain the Spring Valley connection."[12]
Other Glover Park residents argued that the impacts of inclement weather and insufficient lighting make some of the streets no longer served by the N2 difficult and potentially dangerous. Other common complaints were that the buses will switch suddenly from the N2 to the N4 without any notice, suddenly instead of going to Cathedral Avenue, they are driven farther down Massachusetts Avenue.[12]
The Advisory Neighborhood Commission passed a resolution asking DDOT and WMATA to restore the N2 route prior to the September 2011 changes Commissioners reasoned that the change was made so quickly in the first place that the agencies should be able to just switch them back. DDOT and WMATA said it would not be so easy. Julie Hershorn, a manager from WMATA's Office of Bus Planning, said one issue is that a change in the bus system can have a domino effect. If the buses are "inter-lining," it is possible that, for instance, when N2 bus reaches the end of its route, it could become another line entirely.[12]
Due to the N2 reroute, Wesley Heights and Glover Park passengers wanting to go to Tenleytown would have to ride the N2 up to Ward Circle, then transfer to the infrequent M4 in order to reach Tenleytown. Passengers would then have to walk from the bus bays along Fort Drive and 40th Street to Wisconsin Avenue and catch the 32 or 36 to Friendship Heights to get off stops along Wisconsin Avenue. Or passengers were forced to ride the N2 all the way further to Friendship Heights station, then catch the 32, 36, or 37 buses for stops along Wisconsin Avenue and Tenleytown station. In all, passengers would need to transfer once or twice to reach their destinations. In response to the changes, WMATA announced on December 9, 2011, that route N2 would be rerouted back along the former routing along Wisconsin Avenue, Tenley Circle, and Nebraska Avenue beginning on January 22, 2012. This gave Wesley Heights and Glover Park residents access to Tenleytown–AU station as the September 2011 reroute abruptly taken away service to Tenleytown.[13][14]
In September 2015, WMATA proposed to eliminate all N3 service and replace it with the N4 due to low ridership and other services covering the route. Riders can ride the N4 up to 20th Street and transfer to the H1, L1 or S1 to Potomac Park/Foggy Bottom–GWU station and routes 30N, 30S, 32, 33, and 36 to Federal Triangle.[15]
On June 26, 2016, route N3 was eliminated and replaced by route N4. Select weekday peak hour N4 trips in the weekday peak hour direction were extended to Potomac Park along H Street and 18th Street (to Friendship Heights), I Street, and 19th Street (to Potomac Park), and Virginia Avenue as well. Also routes N2, N4, and N6 terminus at Farragut Square were moved from the east side to the west side.[16][17]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, routes N2 and N4 were suspended beginning on March 16, 2020 and route N6 operated on its Saturday supplemental schedule.[18] However on March 18, 2020, further changes happened with route N6 operating on its Sunday schedule and weekend service being suspended beginning on March 21, 2020.[19] A modified schedule and all weekend service resumed on August 23, 2020 with routes N2 and N4 remaining suspended.[20]
On September 10, 2020, as part of WMATA's FY2022 budget, WMATA proposed to fully eliminate routes N2 and N4 and instead operate the N6 daily in order to simplify the line and low federal funds.[21]
In February 2021, WMATA proposed to combine the N6 with the D2 and M4 if WMATA does not get any federal funding. The new N6 will operate along the D2 routing between Glover Park and Dupont Circle station, then operate along the N6 routing inside Cathedral Heights, then operate on the M4 routing along Nebraska Avenue to Sibley Memorial Hospital. Routes N2 and N4 would also be eliminated[22] However on September 5, 2021, WMATA restored Routes N2 and N4 to its pre pandemic schedule and reverted Route N6 back to its weekday late night schedule. However, N4 trips to Potomac Park was eliminated.[23]
Related Research Articles
The Pennsylvania Avenue Line, designated Routes 32 and 36, is a daily Metrobus route in Washington, D.C., Operating between the Southern Avenue station or Naylor Road station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro and Potomac Park. Until the 1960s, it was a streetcar line, opened in 1862 by the Washington and Georgetown Railroad as the first line in the city.
The Mount Pleasant Line, designated Routes 42 and 43, is a daily bus route in Washington, D.C., It was a streetcar line until the 1960s.
The Connecticut Avenue Line, designated Route L2, is a daily bus route in Northwest Washington, D.C., United States. The L2 operates seven days a week.
The Riggs Road Line, designated as Routes R1 & R2, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Fort Totten station of the Red and Green Lines of the Washington Metro & Adelphi (R1) or Calverton (R2). Routes R1 & R2 operate every 20 minutes during peak hours and route R2 operates every 35-60 minutes at other times on weekdays, and 60 minutes on the weekends. R1 trips are roughly 32 minutes and R2 trips are roughly 55 minutes.
The Friendship Heights–Southeast Line, designated as Routes 30N or 30S, were daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Friendship Heights station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Naylor Road station or Southern Avenue station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro. Both lines operated every 60 minutes at all times. Trips were roughly 90 minutes long. This line provided service from Friendship Heights, operating through most of NW and SE DC and ending in Southern Prince Georges County via a one bus ride. Extra services are provided by the 32, 34, and 36 in Southeast and 31 and 33 in Northwest. Service was eliminated on September 5, 2021 due to redundancy.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Highway Line, designated Route A12 is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Addison Road station of the Blue and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro and New Carrollton station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 20 minutes between 7AM and 9PM, 30 minutes after 9PM weekdays and 60 minutes after 9PM weekends. Route A12 trips roughly take 30 minutes. On Sundays, Route A12 is extended to Capitol Heights station replacing a portion of route F14.
The Benning Heights–Alabama Avenue Line, designated Route V7, V8, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Minnesota Avenue station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Congress Heights station (V7) of the Green Line of the Washington Metro or the neighborhood of Benning Heights (V8). The line operates every 25-30 minutes at all times. Route V7 trips are roughly 45 minutes while route V8 trips are roughly 15 minutes.
The East Capitol Street–Cardozo Line, designated Route 96, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Tenleytown-AU station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Capitol Heights station of the Blue and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 20–30 minutes at all times. Route 96 trips are roughly 80 minutes long.
The Deanwood–Minnesota Avenue Line, designated Route U7, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Deanwood station and Minnesota Avenue station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro. The line runs every 20–24 minutes during weekdays, every 24 minutes on Saturdays and every 30 minutes on Sundays. Trips take roughly 30 minutes. During weekday midday and all day on Saturday, trips are extended from Minnesota Avenue to Greenway which roughly take 32 minutes.
The Benning Heights–M Street Line, designated Route V1, was a weekday peak-hour only bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhood of Benning Heights and Smithsonian station of the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro. The line ran only every 20–30 minutes in the weekday peak-hour direction. Trips took roughly 55 minutes.
The Benning Road–H Street Limited Line, designated Route X9, is a limited stop MetroExtra bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Capitol Heights station, which is served by the Blue and Silver lines of the Washington Metro, and Gallery Place station, which is served by the Red, Green and Yellow lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 15-16 minutes at all times on weekdays only. Trips are roughly 50 minutes long. During weekday midday, Route X9 is shortened to operate to Minnesota Avenue station, which is served by the Orange line of the Washington Metro, which takes 30 minutes. This line provides additional service along the H Street corridor supplementing route X2.
The Military Road–Crosstown Line, designated Route E4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the Friendship Heights station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Fort Totten station of the Red and Green Lines of the Washington Metro or Riggs Park. The line runs every 20 minutes between 7AM and 9PM and 30 minutes after 9PM with every other trip alternating between Friendship Heights and Fort Totten/Riggs Park. Trips take roughly 40 minutes. Additional daily trips are shortened to Fort Totten station which takes roughly 30 minutes.
The Tenleytown–Glover Park Line, designated Route N8, was a bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Tenleytown–AU station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Glover Park. The line operated every 20–40 minutes on weekdays only with trips roughly taking 30 minutes. The route was discontinued on September 23, 2011 due to low ridership.
The Benning Road Line, designated Route X1, X3 is a weekday peak hour only bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Minnesota Avenue station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Foggy Bottom–GWU station of the Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro (X1) or Duke Ellington Bridge in Adams Morgan (X3). The line operates every 10–31 minutes during weekday peak hours in the peak direction only. X1 trips are roughly 41 minutes while X3 trips are roughly 45 minutes. All service along the X1 and X3 lines is currently suspended.
The Deanwood–Alabama Avenue Line, designated Route W4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Deanwood station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Anacostia station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 12 minutes daily between 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and 20 minutes other times. Route W4 trips are roughly 60 minutes long.
The Wisconsin Avenue Limited Line, designated Route 37, was a weekday peak-hour bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Friendship Heights station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Archives station of the Green and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro. The line operated every 15–22 minutes during the weekday peak hours only in the peak direction only. Route 37 trips were roughly 45 minutes long. This route provided limited stop service along Pennsylvania Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue supplementing routes 31, and 33.
The Sibley Hospital–Stadium Armory Line, designated Route D6, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Stadium–Armory station of the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro and Sibley Hospital in the Palisades neighborhood. The line operates every 15 minutes during the weekday peak hours, 20 minutes during the off-peak hours, and 30-40 minutes during the late nights. Route D6 trips are roughly 60-90 minutes long.
The Glover Park–Dupont Circle Line, designated Route D2, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Glover Park and Dupont Circle station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 20-24 minutes during the day and every 40 minutes during the evening. Route D2 trips are roughly 20 minutes long.
The Crosstown Line, designated Routes H2 and H4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Brookland–CUA station and Tenleytown–AU station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 24 minutes between 7AM and 9PM, and 20 - 40 minutes after 9PM at a combined frequency of 12 minutes during the day and, 20 minutes during the late nights. Trips roughly take 48 minutes to complete.
The Ivy City–Franklin Square Line, designated Route D4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Ivy City and Franklin Square. The line operates every 17-20 minutes during the weekday peak-hours, and 30-35 minutes at all other times. Route D4 trips are roughly 32 minutes.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
