More Circulator Route Changes in Store
Last week, we reported that the Georgetown/Union Station route of the popular Circulator bus would cease traveling up Wisconsin Ave. beginning Oct. 4, and Monday the District Department of Transportation announced several other route changes to the Circulator buses. The changes will result in the complete cancellation of the National Mall loop during the off-season, plus the loss or addition of service to some stops on other routes.
“We regret having to make any cuts in service,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein in a statement. “It was not a decision we took lightly and the reductions were targeted to affect the fewest riders and produce the greatest savings"
Find the breakdown for how all the Circulator changes will work after the jump. These changes will take effect on Sunday, October 4.
Union Station - Georgetown route
As we already mentioned, service on Wisconsin Avenue NW will be discontinued north of M Street. The new routing will therefore be Washington Circle to K Street, right on Wisconsin Avenue, right on M Street, right on Pennsylvania Avenue, and returning to Washington Circle and downtown. The change will lead to the elimination of 7 stops along the upper part of Wisconsin Ave., as well as all stops on the north side of M Street NW, because the Circulator will only operate eastbound on M Street.
Two stops will be added to the route traveling westbound on K Street: one at K Street & 30 Street, and another at K Street & Wisconsin. The stop at Wisconsin & M will also move around the corner onto Wisconsin instead of on M.
Smithsonian-National Mall Loop
The is the weekend-only, tourist-oriented Circulator, and DDOT has decided to go ahead and shut the whole thing down during the fall and winter months in order to save money. The last day of weekend service will be October 4, 2009. DDOT says service will resume on April 3, 2010.
Union Station - Navy Yard Metro route
Service on this route will be modified slightly near Union Station. Buses traveling to Navy Yard Metro will exit the Union Station parking garage, travel around Columbus Circle and stop at Delaware Ave. NE. From there the buses will turn right on 1st Street NE, right on D Street NE, and left onto Louisiana Ave., returning to their regular route.
Buses traveling to Union Station will turn left at Louisiana Ave. onto North Capitol Street, right onto E Street NE, right onto Columbus Circle and stop at Delaware Ave. NE, and return to the Union Station parking garage.
DDOT has also added stops at Louisiana and D Street NE in both directions.
Woodley Park/Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Metro route
DDOT is adding one stop to this limited-stop, express route: at Columbia Road NW and Ontario Road, in both directions. It's hoped the addition of this stop will help better serve residents of Mount Pleasant and Adams Morgan.