WTOP reported yesterday that WMATA is considering significant changes to its bus service for next year. On top of some fare increases, the agency is proposing to shutter dozens of bus lines. Unfortunately for Georgetown five of them go through Georgetown. While the agency is likely going to pitch the changes as rationalization or simplification, it almost certainly will mean worse bus service to and through Georgetown.
Most alarming of the proposals is the proposal to cancel the D1, D2 and G2 lines. The report states that the D2 and G2 would be “folded” into each other. The D1 would simply be eliminated.
There are no details of what that would mean exactly. The D2 runs from Glover Park to Dupont via Georgetown. The G2 runs from Georgetown University to Le Droit Park. They parallel for only a small portion of their respective routes. Presumably WMATA would not stop servicing Glover Park (although who knows with them) so the route from Georgetown to Glover Park would probably remain in the new route. And the route from Dupont to Le Droit Park would also likely remain. It’s what happens to the overlap that is a mystery. It could go along the current G2 route from 35th St. east. Or it could stick to the Q St. route of the D Series. Either way, people will likely have to walk further to get what isn’t even guaranteed to be any better service.
On top of this terrible idea, WMATA is also ending the 30N and 30S service. This is less of a surprising proposal. These are the last remaining routes of the former fully crosstown 30-series. WMATA has chipped away at this long ride over the years, substituting shorter legs. The report says the rides on the western end would be replaced with 31 and 33 routes. Only the 33 goes east of Foggy Bottom to downtown. This is all part of WMATA’s push to get people to transfer to Metrorail instead of riding all the way across town. It is proposing to introduce free transfers between buses and Metrorail to ease the sting.
An additional change is the cancelation of the D5 route. This route goes along M St. and out to the Palisades via Canal Rd. and MacArthur Blvd.
WMATA will claim that this all will improve service somehow. It will be a lie. It will be up to the leaders of the community to push back against this crap and assert that a neighborhood like Georgetown, where Metro doesn’t reach, must have as good bus service as is possible.
