Pike Ride

Last updated
Pike Ride
Pike Ride logo transparent.png
WMATA New Flyer XN40 3142 on Route 16H.jpg
Pike Ride-branded WMATA route 16H bus in 2018
FoundedSeptember 7, 2003 (2003-09-07) [1]
Locale Arlington County, Virginia
Annandale, Virginia
Service area Columbia Pike
Routes10 [2]
StationsPentagon Station, Pentagon City Station
Daily ridership17,000 (January 2018 estimate) [3]
Operator Metrobus
ART

Pike Ride is a combination of bus routes along Columbia Pike in Northern Virginia, United States. It consists of service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metrobus) and Arlington Transit (ART), connecting the Pentagon and Pentagon City Washington Metro stations in Arlington County with Annandale in Fairfax County.

Contents

The service started in 2003. Route timetables and other useful information were implemented in numerous bus stops along the corridor, printed in both English and Spanish. ART provides cell phone users with an 800 number that is listed at each bus stop to call and obtain bus schedule information.

Routes

The following routes are branded as Pike Ride service: [2]

RouteTerminalsMajor streetsOperatorHistoryNotes
16A
  • Little River Turnpike
  • Columbia Pike
WMATA

See Columbia Pike Line for history.

  • Daily Service
  • Limited stops in Arlington County
16C
  • Culmore (Glen Carlyn & Vista Drives)
  • Columbia Pike

See Columbia Pike Line for history.

  • Daily Service
  • Limited stops in Arlington County
16E
  • Culmore (Glen Carlyn & Vista Drives)

See Columbia Pike Line for history.

  • Late night service daily
  • Early morning service weekends only
16M
  • Skyline City (Seminary Rd & Magnolia La)
  • Columbia Pike

See Columbia Pike–National Landing Line for history.

  • Daily Service
16L
  • Weekday peak hour service only (AM to Pentagon, PM to Annandale).
16Y
  • Barcroft (Four Mile Run Dr & Columbia Pike)

See Columbia Pike–Farragut Square Line for history.

41
  • Arlington Mill (Dinwiddie St & Columbia Pike)
  • Columbia Pike
Arlington Transit
  • Daily Service
74
  • Arlington Village (Walter Reed Dr & Columbia Pike)
  • Columbia Pike
  • Weekday peak hour service only (AM to Pentagon City, PM to Arlington Village)
75
  • Columbia Pike
  • Weekday Service

History

Robert L. May of Barcroft began operating buses along Columbia Pike in 1921, running from downtown Washington over the 14th Street Bridge to Barcroft. Among other additions, he acquired the former Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Railway at foreclosure in 1930 and replaced it with buses in 1932. May incorporated the Alexandria, Barcroft and Washington Transit Company in 1934. [4] [5] [6] This company continued independent operation until February 4, 1973, when WMATA acquired it. [7] [8]

Improvements

Columbia Pike Premium Transit Network
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to Federal Triangle
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BSicon SUBWAY.svg
Pentagon
WMATA Metro Logo small.svg
BSicon uxBHF.svg
South Orme
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Virginia State Route 27
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South Scott
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South Courthouse
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South Barton
BSicon uxBHF.svg
South Walter Reed
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South Glebe
BSicon uxBHF.svg
South Oakland
BSicon uxBHF.svg
South George Mason
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South Taylor
BSicon uxBHF.svg
Four Mile Run
BSicon uexWBRUCKE1.svg
Four Mile Run
BSicon uxpBHF.svg
South Dinwiddie
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South Greenbrier
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to Annandale, Culmore, Virginia

Since 2003, some effort has been made to improve service along the corridor. In July 2016, the Arlington County Board approved a Transit Development Plan that includes enhanced bus service along Columbia Pike. [9] There will be 23 enhanced bus stops, with BRT-like amenities like near-level boarding, real-time bus arrival information and off-vehicle fare collection. [10] This proposal, called a Premium Transit Network, has since been delayed until 2019 due to Metro rebuilding efforts. [11] The use of dedicated lanes for the corridor was studied by the country, but were deemed to be challenging and unlikely. The buses could have a distinctive appearance. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Blue Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 28 stations in Fairfax County, Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The Blue Line runs from Franconia–Springfield to Downtown Largo. The line shares track with the Orange Line for 13 stations, the Silver Line for 18, and the Yellow Line for 7. Only 3 stations are exclusive to the Blue Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Yellow Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system that runs between Huntington in Virginia and Mount Vernon Square in Washington, D.C. It consists of 13 stations in Fairfax County, the city of Alexandria, and Arlington County in Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C. It is the shortest line in the system, and since its truncation to Mount Vernon Square, it is the only line that does not enter Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentagon station</span> Washington Metro station

Pentagon station is a split platform station on the Washington Metro located adjacent to The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Providing service for both the Blue and Yellow Lines, the station is where the two lines diverge and thus acts as a transfer point. Northbound, both lines rise above ground, with the Blue Line serving the Arlington Cemetery station, and the Yellow Line crossing the Potomac River into the District of Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 395 (Virginia–District of Columbia)</span> Interstate Highway in the DC area

Interstate 395 (I-395) in Virginia and Washington, D.C., is a 13.79-mile-long (22.19 km) spur route of I-95 that begins at an interchange with I-95 in Springfield and ends at an interchange with US Route 50 (US 50) in Northwest Washington, D.C. It passes underneath the National Mall near the US Capitol and ends at a junction with US 50 at New York Avenue, roughly one mile (1.6 km) north of the 3rd Street Tunnel. Despite its proximity to I-395 in Maryland, the route is unrelated and unconnected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 244</span> State highway in Virginia, United States

State Route 244 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Columbia Pike, the state highway runs 8.25 miles (13.28 km) from SR 236 in Annandale east to SR 27 and Interstate 395 (I-395) at The Pentagon in Arlington. SR 244 is a major southwest–northeast thoroughfare in northeastern Fairfax County and eastern Arlington County, connecting Annandale with SR 7 at Bailey's Crossroads and SR 120 in the multicultural Westmont neighborhood of Arlington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DC Circulator</span> Bus system in Washington, D.C

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)</span> Bus transit service in the US federal district

Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Its fleet consists of 1,595 buses covering an area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km2) in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are 269 bus routes serving 11,129 stops, including 2,554 bus shelters. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 103,438,600, or about 366,500 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Virginia trolleys</span> Network of electronic passenger rails

The Northern Virginia trolleys were the network of electric streetcars that moved people around the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., from 1892 to 1941. They consisted of six lines operated by as many as three separate companies connecting Rosslyn, Great Falls, Bluemont, Mount Vernon, Fairfax City, Camp Humphries, and Nauck across the Potomac River to the District of Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Transit</span>

Arlington Transit (ART) is a bus transit system that operates in Arlington County, Virginia, and is managed by the county government. The bus system provides service within Arlington County, and connects to Metrobus, nearby Metrorail stations, Virginia Railway Express, and other local bus systems. Most ART routes serve to connect county neighborhoods to local Metrorail stations, as well as the Shirlington Bus Station. It includes part of the Pike Ride service along Columbia Pike, which is shared with WMATA. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,258,200, or about 8,100 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

Northern Virginia is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area of the United States, and its surface transit system is integrated with that of the city of Washington, D.C. However, because of the Potomac River separating Northern Virginia from the city, the two systems have evolved largely independently. At present, most major bus routes, including all that cross the Potomac, are operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), while several smaller systems are city- or county-owned. Since the Washington Metro opened to Virginia, most of the bus routes have terminated on either side of the Potomac River, where passengers can transfer to the rapid transit system, or to one of the few WMATA Metrobus routes that cross the river.

The Pike Transit Initiative is a collaborative project in Northern Virginia between Arlington and Fairfax counties and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to bring transit improvements to the Columbia Pike corridor. Officially known as the Columbia Pike Transit Alternatives Analysis, the project began in 2003. Following three successive defeats of county board candidates who supported the streetcar proposal in 2014, the project was shelved indefinitely.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metroway</span> Bus rapid transit line operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Metroway is a bus rapid transit (BRT) line operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) as part of their Metrobus system. It consists of a single line operating in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. It opened on August 24, 2014. It was the first bus rapid transit line to open in Virginia and in the Washington metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barcroft–South Fairlington Line</span>

The Barcroft–South Fairlington Line, designated as Route 22A, Route 22C, or Route 22F, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Ballston–MU station of the Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro or Skyline City (22F) and Pentagon station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. The 22 Line trips are roughly 20 minutes during peak hours, 30 minutes during off peak, and 60 minutes on weekends. This line provides service to Ballston or Skyline City and the Pentagon Transit Center from the neighborhoods of Arlington County, Fairfax County and Alexandria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Pike Line</span> Washington Metro bus lines/ routes

The Columbia Pike Line, designated as Routes 16A, 16C & 16E, are daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhoods of Annandale (16A) or Culmore and Pentagon station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro or Franklin Square (16E). This line is part of the Pike Ride service, which runs through Columbia Pike. This line provides service to Annandale or Culmore and the Pentagon Transit Center or Franklin Square from the neighborhoods of Fairfax County and Arlington County. Alongside the neighborhoods, it also brings service through the marketplace, business, and offices through Columbia Pike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line</span> Bus routes in the Washington Metropolitan Area

The Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line, designated as Routes 16G & 16H, were daily bus routes that was operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhoods of Arlington Mill (16G) or Skyline City (16H) and Pentagon City station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. This line is part of the Pike Ride service, which runs through Columbia Pike. This line provides service through the neighborhoods of Fairfax County and Arlington County to Pentagon City. Unlike the Columbia Pike Line, the Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line does not serve Columbia Pike past the Arlington County line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Pike–Farragut Square Line</span> MetroExtra bus route operated by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit

The Columbia Pike–Farragut Square Line, designated Route 16Y, is a rush hour-only MetroExtra bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhood of Barcroft and McPherson Square station of the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines of the Washington Metro. This line is part of the Pike Ride service, which runs through Columbia Pike. This line provides service to Barcroft in Arlington County, Virginia and McPherson Square in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Pike–Federal Triangle Line</span>

The Columbia Pike–Federal Triangle Line, designated Route 16F, or Route 16X, was a rush hour-only MetroExtra bus route that was operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Federal Triangle station of the Blue, Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro and the neighborhood of Culmore. This line was part of the Pike Ride service, which served through Columbia Pike. This line provides service from Federal Triangle in Washington, D.C., to the neighborhood of Culmore in Fairfax County.

The Alexandria–Pentagon Line, designated as Routes 10A, 10E & 10N, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Huntington station of the Yellow Line of the Washington Metro (10A), Hunting Point (10E), or Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro and Pentagon station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. This line provides service within the neighborhoods in Fairfax County, Alexandria, and Arlington County. Alongside the neighborhoods, it also brings service through the marketplace, businesses, and offices within the counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Pike–National Landing Line</span> Bus route

The Columbia Pike–National Landing Line, designated as Route 16M, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhood of Skyline City and Crystal City station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. This line is part of the Pike Ride service, which runs through Columbia Pike. This line provides service through the neighborhoods of Fairfax County and Arlington County to Crystal City. Unlike the Columbia Pike Line, the Columbia Pike–National Landing Line does not serve Columbia Pike past the Arlington County line.

References

  1. "Pike Ride - Bus Service on Columbia Pike". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Pike Ride". arlingtontransit.com. Arlington Transit. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  3. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (January 16, 2018). "Columbia Pike Service Evaluation" (PDF). Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  4. United States Interstate Commerce Commission (1948). Interstate Commerce Commission Reports: Motor carrier cases, Volumes 48-49. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 617. Retrieved 2015-03-15. Respondent's present extensive operations were initiated by its predecessor, R.L. May, now president of the corporation, with one bus in the early 1920s over the Columbia Pike between Barcroft and Washington.
  5. United States. Government Printing Office (1954). Congressional Serial Set, Issue 11728. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 2015-03-15. Having operated a bus line since 1921 and managed a street railway company from 1930 until the Federal Government confiscated the railway rights-of-way in Washington, D.C., in 1932, R. L. May, in December 1934, formed the A.B. & W. Corp., turning over to it all working capital and assets used by his bus line, including a garage and terminal on Pitt and Cameron Streets in Alexandria.
  6. United States. Congress. House Appropriations (1926). District of Columbia Appropriation Bill: 1927, Hearings ... 69th Congress, 1st Session. Washington, D.C. pp. 52–53. Retrieved 2015-03-15. Columbia Pike Line.—Route 202. Louisiana Avenue, between Eighth and Ninth Streets NW., to Barcroft, Va., via Louisiana Avenue, Eighth Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Thirteenth Street, C Street, Ohio Avenue, Fourteenth Street, Highway Bridge, Military Road, Alexandria Road and Columbia Pike. For: Arlington, Columbia Station, Johnson Hill, Barcroft, East Arlington.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. "DC Transit" . Retrieved 2015-03-15.
  8. Eisen, Jack (January 14, 1973). "No Fanfare Marks Bus Line Takeover". The Washington Post . p. A10.
  9. "County Board Approves New Transit Plan, With an Asterisk". Arlington Now. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
  10. "Don't Expect Fancy 'Streetcar-Like' Buses on Columbia Pike". Arlington Now. 2016-07-24. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
  11. "Columbia Pike 'Premium Transit Network' Delayed". Arlington Now. 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  12. "Dedicated Lanes Unlikely for Columbia Pike 'Premium Transit Network'". Arlington Now . 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2017-07-01.