“We are implementing these changes to better use our resources in collaboration with WMATA,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Based on extensive review of the routes and ridership, we have new lines and schedules that better use our resources to provide transit to those who rely on it most and to improve reliability so that more people will use it. This is one of the most significant overhauls of our transit system in decades, and it’s just the beginning of what we plan to do.”
Route 34 : This route will continue to provide service between Bethesda, Medical Center and Wheaton Metro Stations. The current routing between Wheaton and Bethesda will remain the same. Ride On 41 will provide service between Aspen Hill and Wheaton. Metrobus D96 will provide service between Bethesda and Friendship Heights Metro Stations. Route 34 will also be streamlined to remain on Connecticut Avenue between Veirs Mill Road and University Blvd. as a replacement for the Metrobus Route L8 along this corridor.
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Route 41 : Ride On Route 41 will be extended south to Wheaton to replace Route 34 and L8 service on parts of Connecticut Ave. Service will be provided between Glenmont and Wheaton Station via Weller Road, Connecticut Ave., Plyers Mill Road and Georgia Ave. This change will also introduce all-day and weekend service on Plyers Mill Road between Kensington and Wheaton. Route 37 will continue to provide peak service to this area on weekdays.
Route 42 : This route will run between North Bethesda Station and Montgomery Mall Transit Center; service to Boiling Brook Pkwy. and the Bolger Center will be discontinued. Ride On 38 will provide service on Boiling Brook Pkwy. Metrobus M42 and M44 will stop at Parklawn Drive and end at North Bethesda Station. The existing Metrobus Route T2 will be replaced with the Metrobus Route M82 in WMATA’s Year 1 network.
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“These service adjustments represent a comprehensive shift in route planning, incorporating current and planned service needs, as well as the input of thousands of community members over two years,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “We know you cannot improve access without improving service. We have added extended hours and weekend service along key routes and coordinated service routes with Metrobus to ensure coverage. We hope these changes will allow our riders more choices and more flexibility when planning their trips.”
MCDOT will also implement a zero-fare policy effective June 29 for all Ride On, Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex and Flash buses. The zero-fare policy will reduce barriers to access for many residents and will allow the County to avoid the high cost of replacing and maintaining a fare collection system. The County estimated that the cost of replacing fare boxes on its fleet of nearly 400 Ride On buses to maintain compatibility with the regional system would have cost $22 million, which would have been difficult to recover from the limited fare revenue collected
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=47222