Photo by StreetsofWashington

As Metro’s Safetrack plan continues to plague D.C. commuters, the District Department of Transportation announced plans today expand a more reliable transit service.

At the end of October, Safetrack’s tenth surge will suspend service at the Brookland and Road Island Avenue stations for nearly four weeks. To offer Metrorail riders alternative options, DDOT is extending Circulator hours on several routes, and expanding late-night service on one of them.

Beginning October 2, weekday morning service will start an hour earlier, at 6 a.m., on the Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square, Georgetown-Union Station, and Dupont-Georgetown-Rosslyn routes. In addition, buses will run an hour later, until 3 a.m., on the Georgetown-Union Station and the Dupont-Georgetown-Rosslyn routes. And nightly service on the Georgetown-Union Station loop, which currently stops at McPherson Square Metro after 9 p.m., will be extended to run the full length of the route.

DC Circular buses frequent stops every 10 minutes, with rides costing $1 (there are also seniors and student discounts).