The 16th Street bus lines have the highest ridership of any line in the entire Metrobus system. Even with additional bus service and express buses added by WMATA in recent years, there is still a need for improvements.
What we need now is a dedicated bus lane during rush hour and traffic light sensors that are coordinated with our buses, something that was first proposed to the DC Council back in 2010.
We are calling on the DC Council now, to have the District Department of Transportation conduct an impact assessment to determine how to move forward on the proposed dedicated rush hour bus lane.
Why is this important?
As a former ANC representing 16th Street, and as someone who frequently picks up the 16th Street bus lines from the V Street stop, I can tell you that even with increased bus service and the addition of the S9, these buses are incredibly packed. During rush hour, I often see more than 2 buses fly by this stop without stopping, because they are at capacity.
That is coupled with the fact that when a bus with available space does arrive, it is often at the same time as another bus, stacked right behind one another, demonstrating a lack of coordination and efficiency.
In the meantime, cars traveling in the outside lanes are often caught behind or between these buses, adding to delays and frustration for both drivers and transit users.
We know from studies that have been done in recent years that this route has the highest ridership of any in the entire system. In fact, S buses serve more than fifty percent of all the people traveling on 16th Street during rush hour.
