The almost seven miles of bus-only lanes on Georgia Avenue created for the Metro station closures this summer will stay in place through at least December as part of an extended pilot project agreement, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
The lanes were created to make bus transit more streamlined following the temporary closures of several Metro Red Line stations in Montgomery County, according to WMATA. The Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen and Silver Spring stations closed June 1 and are expected to reopen Sept. 1. The Takoma Metro station closed June 1 and reopened June 30.
WMATA announced Feb. 9 that it would temporarily close the five Metro stations over the summer. The closures were necessary to allow for construction at the stations and the building of the Purple Line, a 16-milie light-rail line that will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton when completed.
In light of the closures, free shuttle buses have been provided between open and closed stations in partnership with the state and county transportation departments and the Washington, D.C., transportation department.
Through collaboration with the state and county transportation departments, seven miles of bus-exclusive lanes were created along Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Drivers are prohibited from using these lanes and are subject to ticketing and fines. The temporary lanes are in effect daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
According to a WMATA release, local bus service moved faster than it ever has this summer–despite additional rider volume with the shuttle buses between Metro stations–while travel times for drivers remained constant.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a news release that the temporary bus lanes “highlight a low-cost project that has a high impact on the communities it serves. Extending the pilot through the end of the year will allow us to evaluate the project’s effectiveness and examine opportunities to speed up buses through additional targeted bus lane improvements in Maryland.”
More than 15,000 daily riders use the Metrobus and Ride On routes on Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road on average, according to the WMATA release. Metro and the county and state transportation departments will continue to evaluate the success of the bus-only lanes to determine whether they help alleviate traffic congestion and speed up buses. In the fall, the agencies will analyze data and make changes to the lanes to make them more efficient, according to the release.
“Bus lanes across the region have increased reliability and decreased travel time for bus passengers,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in a news release. “We want to improve the service for our existing riders–many of whom are low income, low English proficiency, or have disabilities–and demonstrate to potential new riders that the bus can be an attractive transportation option.”