Pennsylvania Avenue Limited Line

The Pennsylvania Avenue Limited Line, designated Route 39 was a limited weekday peak-hour only MetroExtra route that operated between Naylor Road station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro and Potomac Park. The route gave limited stop service to local Metrobus routes 32, 34, and 36.

39
Pennsylvania Avenue Limited Line
Route 39 route at Federal Triangle
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageAndrews Federal Center, Shepherd Parkway
StatusEliminated
Began serviceJune 29, 2008
Ended serviceSeptember 5, 2021
Route
LocalePrince George's County, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest
Communities servedFoggy Bottom, Federal Triangle, Capitol Hill, Downtown, Barney Circle, Fairlawn, Good Hope, Naylor Gardens, Hillcrest
Landmarks servedPotomac Park, Foggy Bottom-GWU station, White House, Federal Triangle, Archives station, National Mall, U.S. Capitol, Capitol South station, Eastern Market station, L’Enfant Square, Hillcrest, Naylor Road station
StartPotomac Park
ViaPennsylvania Avenue, Southern Avenue
EndNaylor Road station
Service
LevelMidday weekdays only
TransfersSmarTrip only

Route

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The line operated along the Pennsylvania Avenue Line, mainly the 36 while only serving a few stops of the line. After Pennsylvania Avenue, the line went its separate ways from the 36 and followed the F14 along Southern Avenue. Similar to their local counterpart, Route 39 was supplemented by the now eliminated Wisconsin Avenue Limited Line, operated by route 37.

The line operated out of the Andrews Federal Center division with some trips operating out of Shepherd Parkway.

Stops

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History

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Route 39 originally operated as the Friendship Heights-Van Ness-UDC Line and operated between Friendship Heights station and Van Ness-UDC station.[1]

The line was reincarnated and began service on June 29, 2008, replacing routes 30, 34, and 39 along with routes 31 and 37. The route only operated up to Foggy Bottom-GWU station.[2]

On December 15, 2019, the route was to travel across the National Mall along 4th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW to improve safety and provide more direct service. Routing along 7th Street was discontinued.[3]

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, WMATA suspended all 39 service on March 16, 2020.[4]

Elimination

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During the suspension, WMATA proposed to eliminate Route 39 on their FY2021 budget.[5] WMATA backed out of the proposal in April of said year.[6] However, on September 5, 2021, the route was eliminated.[7] Service is now only provided by local routes 32 and 36 with route 34 eliminated as well.

References

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  1. ^ "Metro Sets Shuttle Bus Link For SE Residents". Washington Post. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Metro launches major overhaul of 30s Metrobus line". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Metrobus Service Changes Beginning Sunday, December 15, 2019". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Metro announces additional COVID-19 changes, including reduced service beginning Monday". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Metrobus Service Changes, August 23". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Metro Backs Away From Significant Bus Service Cuts". WAMU 88.5. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Metro Service Is Increasing On Sunday, But Some People's Routines Will Still Be Upended". dcist. Retrieved 30 May 2024.