The 5A bus route from L’Enfant Plaza to Dulles Airport has been saved once again after several attempts to abandon the line.
The transit authority received comments from more than 3,000 5A riders arguing that keeping the bus in motion would save them time and money, the Washington Post reported. The route, which also stops in Herndon and Rosslyn, is the most direct form of public transportation to the airport from the District, at least until the Silver Line expands.
But another bus route may not have as good fortune. At a Metro board meeting on Thursday, planners are recommending reducing weekend service on the B30 bus that runs from the Greenbelt Metro station to BWI. Instead of running every 40 minutes, it’ll run every 50 minutes.
A Metro board committee will vote on this and a slew of other bus changes at the meeting.
The proposals stem from a dispute over funding for the airport bus lines. Maryland pays for the line to BWI, which only runs in the state. But all three jurisdictions contribute subsidies to the 5A, which runs from the District into Virginia. Maryland’s representative on the board had argued that the state shouldn’t be paying for a route that doesn’t cross into its borders. According to the Post, officials may still consider changing the funding formulas for both routes in the future.