43% Loss in Service for Georgetown? July 15 Deadline for WMATA Bus Survey
By • July 11, 2024 0 754
There’s a few days left to fill out the feedback survey on the WMATA Better Bus Network Redesign. It’s on the WMATA website. Click here to take the survey —by 5 p.m., Monday, July 15. The WMATA Better Bus Network Redesign project intends to streamline service with increased frequency.
Several D.C. neighborhoods are balking at the proposed changes in service, whether it’s Bloomingdale (more bus frequency) or Georgetown (less bus service with merged routes).
“Georgetown will lose 43 percent of weekly bus service next year with the elimination of two DC Circulator routes and changes in the proposed 2025 WMATA Better Bus Network Redesign,” the Georgetown Business Improvement District told The Georgetowner July 11. “We hope we can work with WMATA and DDOT to develop changes to the proposed network that maintains high quality and frequent transit service that serves the entire Georgetown economy and community.”
The Georgetown BID will be sending its own letter, along with members’ signatures, to WMATA next week.
Metro’s Better Bus Network Redesign effort builds on improved service and recent high ridership to deliver a new network that better meets the needs of our communities, including where, when, and how people travel in the region. The proposed redesign seeks to coordinate service with more transportation options to advance equity, sustainability, and increase access to jobs across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
“Better Bus is an opportunity to rethink, redesign, and revitalize bus service to better serve the needs of our customers,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. “Everyone has a chance to be a Better Bus Hero by engaging with us in a variety of ways including surveys conducted on buses, Public Hearings, and pop-up events during the public comment period.”
Over the next two months, we’ll be listening to those across the region who want to make bus service better and provide an opportunity to discover the benefits of Metro’s proposed Bus Network Redesign. Through our “Discovery Days” events you’ll be able to explore an interactive expo to learn about the proposed redesign, talk with project staff, and share your feedback. We’re also working with our local government partners and organizations to host community and pop-up events, as well as ride-alongs in areas most impacted by the changes.
The Proposed 2025 Better Bus Network uses current resources to reconfigure bus service, especially on nights and weekends, to make buses more convenient to use. With the proposed service changes there will be some trade-offs, but the result will be routes that are more direct and save existing customers a combined 10,000 hours every weekday. The proposed network also standardizes route names across the system to make bus routes easier to understand.
