Wisconsin Avenue Line
The Wisconsin Avenue Line, designated as Routes 31 or 33, are daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the Friendship Heights station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Potomac Park or Federal Triangle. Both lines operate every 10–30 minutes at all times. Route 31 trips are roughly 45 minutes long, while route 33 trips are 55 minutes long. These routes dubbed as the Neighborhood Connectors supplement routes 30N and 30S between Friendship Heights and Potomac Park/Federal Triangle.
31, 33 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Wisconsin Avenue Line | |||
![]() | |||
![]() Route 33 in Friendship Heights | |||
Overview | |||
System | Metrobus | ||
Operator | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | ||
Garage | Western | ||
Livery | Local | ||
Status | In Service | ||
Began service | 31: June 29, 2008 33: August 24, 2014 | ||
Route | |||
Locale | Northwest | ||
Communities served | Friendship Heights, McLean Gardens, Georgetown, Tenleytown, Foggy Bottom (31), Potomac Park (31) Federal Triangle (33) | ||
Landmarks served | Friendship Heights station, Tenleytown–AU station, Washington National Cathedral, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom-GWU station (31), Potomac Park (31), McPherson Square station (33), Federal Triangle (33) | ||
Start | Friendship Heights station | ||
Via | Wisconsin Ave, 23rd Street NW, H Street NW (to Federal Triangle), I Street NW (to Friendship Heights), Pennsylvania Avenue NW | ||
End | 31 Potomac Park 33: Federal Triangle | ||
Other routes | 30N, 30S, 32, 34, 36, 37, 39 | ||
Service | |||
Level | Daily | ||
Frequency | 10–40 Minutes | ||
Operates | Weekdays: 5:00 AM – 11:52 PM Saturday: 5:43 AM – 12:40 AM Sunday: 5:26 AM – 9:37 PM | ||
Transfers | SmarTrip only | ||
Timetable | Wisconsin Avenue Line | ||
|
Background
Routes 31 and 33 operate from Friendship Heights station and Potomac Park (31) or Federal Triangle (33) daily. Their main purpose is to provide extra service to routes 30N and 30S which run every hour along the Wisconsin Avenue side. The second half of routes 30N and 30S are run along Pennsylvania Avenue by routes 32, 34, and 36.
Routes 31 and 33 currently operate out of Western division which utilizes New Flyer D40LFRs, DE40LFAs, and XDE40s.
Route 31 stops
Bus stop | Direction | Connections |
---|---|---|
Washington, D.C. | ||
Friendship Heights station Bus Bay C |
Southbound stop, Northbound terminal |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Jenifer Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Harrison Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Fessenden Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Chesapeake Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / River Road NW | Southbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Brandywine Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Albemarle Street NW Tenleytown–AU station |
Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Tenley Circle NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Van Ness Street NW | Southbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Veazey Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Upton Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Rodman Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Porter Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Newark Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Macomb Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Woodley Road NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Cathedral Avenue NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Garfield Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Edmunds Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Calvert Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Hall Place NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / 35th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / 34th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / R Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Q Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / P Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Dumbarton Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / N Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / Wisconsin Avenue NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / 31st Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / Thomas Jefferson Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / 30th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 28th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / L Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 26th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 24th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
23rd Street NW / I Street NW Foggy Bottom-GWU station |
Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
23rd Street NW / G Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
F Street NW / 22nd Street NW | Westbound | ![]() |
F Street NW / 21st Street NW | Westbound | ![]() |
Virginia Avenue NW / E Street NW Potomac Park |
Eastbound stop, Westbound terminal |
![]() |
Route 33 stops
Bus stop | Direction | Connections |
---|---|---|
Washington, D.C. | ||
Friendship Heights station Bus Bay C |
Southbound stop, Northbound terminal |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Jenifer Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Harrison Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Fessenden Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Chesapeake Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / River Road NW | Southbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Brandywine Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Albemarle Street NW Tenleytown–AU station |
Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Tenley Circle NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Van Ness Street NW | Southbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Veazey Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Upton Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Rodman Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Porter Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Newark Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Macomb Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Woodley Road NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Cathedral Avenue NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Garfield Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Edmunds Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Calvert Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Hall Place NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / 35th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / 34th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / R Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Q Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / P Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / Dumbarton Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
Wisconsin Avenue NW / N Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / Wisconsin Avenue NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / 31st Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / Thomas Jefferson Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
M Street NW / 30th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 28th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / L Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 26th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 24th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 22nd Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 21st Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() |
I Street NW / 20th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
I Street NW / 19th Street NW | Southbound | ![]() |
H Street NW / 18th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
H Street NW (East) / I Street NW (West) / 17th Street NW Farragut Square |
Bidirectional | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
H Street NW / Madison Place NW McPherson Square station |
Southbound | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
I Street NW / 15th Street NW McPherson Square station |
Northbound | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
15th Street NW / New York Avenue NW | Southbound | ![]() |
15th Street NW / F Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 14th Street NW | Bidirectional | ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 13th Street NW | Southbound | ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 12th Street NW | Northbound | ![]() |
Pennsylvania Avenue NW / 10th Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Constitution Avenue NW / 9th Street NW | Southbound | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
10th Street NW / Pennsylvania Avenue NW | Southbound terminal, Northbound stop |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
History
![](../I/WMATA_New_Flyer_XDE40_on_Route_31.jpg.webp)
Along with being one of the most popular bus lines in D.C., the 30 series line is also one of the oldest operating routes in the city, having it incorporated from streetcar lines and the Washington and Georgetown Railroad in the 1860s and ran by buses beginning in 1936. As of 2008, the line has more than 20,000 passengers a day.[1]
The five routes, 30, 32, 34, 35, and 36, begin their journey at Friendship Heights station and end at Potomac Avenue station (30), Southern Avenue station (32), or Naylor Road station (34, 35, and 36). WMATA launched a study on the Pennsylvania Avenue line in 2008 to improve services and to reduce delays and bus bunchings.[1]
Route 31
Route 31 was introduced on June 29, 2008 dubbed as a "neighborhood connector" as part of an overhaul of the busy Pennsylvania Avenue Line. Route 31 connects Friendship Heights station to Potomac Park to provide help to routes 32 and 36 along Wisconsin Avenue and replace routes 30, 34, and 35.[2]
Route 33
As part of proposals from 2013 to simplify the Wisconsin Avenue Line again,[3] route 33 was introduced on August 24, 2014 to replace the 32 and 36 portion along Wisconsin Avenue and to provide extra service to the 31, and the newly introduced Friendship Heights–Southeast Line or routes 30N and 30S. Route 33 provides more service between Friendship Heights station and Federal Triangle to help out the 30N, 30S, and 31. Routes 32 and 36 were shorten to Potomac Park being replaced by routes 30N, 30S, 31, and 33.[4][5]
2020 Proposed changes
On September 26, 2020, WMATA proposed to eliminate all route 31 weekend service and add route 33 trips due to low federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Weekday service will not change.[6]
References
- "Major improvements planned for Metro's most popular bus line" (Press release). WMATA. February 14, 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- "Metro launches major overhaul of 30s Metrobus line" (Press release). WMATA. June 26, 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- "Improving bus service on the 30s line (Routes 31, 32, 34, and 36)". Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- "Metrobus service changes effective August 24 include more trips to improve reliability, reduce crowding" (Press release). WMATA. August 15, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- "Metrobus service changes effective August 24". WUSA. August 18, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- "Proposed Service Adjustments by Jurisdiction" (PDF). Retrieved September 27, 2020.
External links
- Metrobus
- The Metrobus 30s Line Study, sponsored by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in conjunction with the District of Columbia Department of Transportation