Calverton–Westfarm Line
| Company type | Public transit authority |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | February 20, 1967 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Washington metropolitan area |
| Products | Bus service, Metro rail service |
| Owner | Government of the District of Columbia; Governments of Maryland and Virginia |
| Website | www |
Colesville Road Line
The Colesville Road Line consists of two routes: the Colesville Road–Burtonsville Line (Route M52) and the Colesville Road–Greencastle Line (Route M54), both managed daily by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. These services link Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride lot (M52) and Greencastle Park & Ride Lot (M54) with Silver Spring station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro.
Operating at intervals of 20 to 30 minutes, each journey lasts roughly one hour. These routes succeeded the Silver Spring–Fairland Line’s former Z6 and Z8 services as part of WMATA’s Better Bus Network Redesign implemented on June 29, 2025.
Background
Route M52 provides daily transit between Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride, traveling through areas including Calverton, Westfarm, and White Oak, Maryland.
Route M54 also runs every day, connecting Silver Spring station with Greencastle Park & Ride primarily along Old Columbia Pike and Colesville Road.
Both lines operate out of the Montgomery division facility.
History
Route Z6 was introduced on January 27, 1985, running from Silver Spring station to Calverton via Calverton Boulevard, Old Columbia Pike, Columbia Pike, Lockwood Drive, and Colesville Road. During the 1990s, this route was discontinued and replaced by route Z7 serving Calverton.
Route Z8 began as the Old Bladensburg Road Line and Sligo Avenue Line, originally operated by Capital Traction Company streetcars before transitioning to bus service in 1927 and 1940 respectively. These lines were eventually combined and taken over by WMATA in 1973 but were later replaced by Ride On bus services.
Later, Z8 was reintroduced as the Colesville Road–Fairland Line, providing service between Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride via White Oak, Greencastle Park & Ride, Briggs Chaney Park & Ride, with select peak-hour trips extending to Verizon–Chesapeake Complex.
In early 2004 proposals led to the reinstatement of route Z6 on September 26, 2004, under the name Tanglewood–Westfarm Line, consolidating multiple routes (Z1, Z3, Z4, Z5, Z7, Z17) into a single service connecting Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride through Calverton, Westfarm, and White Oak. Meanwhile, route Z8 was truncated to run only between Silver Spring station and Greencastle Park & Ride.
Weekday trips on route Z6 included travel along Lockwood Drive to White Oak, then proceeding to Calverton via Broadbirch Drive and Calverton Boulevard. The route continued along Briggs Chaney Road with stops at Briggs Chaney Park & Ride and Castle Boulevard before reaching Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride.
On June 24, 2007, service to Tanglewood via route Z6 was discontinued and replaced by Ride On Route 21; concurrently the line was renamed Calverton–Westfarm Line.
With the opening of Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center at Silver Spring station in 2015, both routes were redirected to Bus Bays 106 and 114.
In WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2016 plan, Saturday service was introduced on route Z6 between Silver Spring, Calverton, and Fairland with buses running every half hour; however, trips between Castle Boulevard and Burtonsville were reduced due to low patronage. Saturday operations commenced March 27, 2016 but only covered the segment from Silver Spring station to Castle Boulevard.
For Fiscal Year 2021, WMATA proposed removing the Castle Boulevard to Burtonsville section of route Z6 with plans for replacement by Ride On Flash BRT along U.S. Route 29. Additionally, route Z6 would be extended to Greencastle Park & Ride replacing routes Z8 and Z11 while increasing frequency. This plan aimed to coordinate with the forthcoming Flash BRT service but encountered resistance from Montgomery County officials concerned about impacts on roughly 65,000 residents reliant on these transit options.
Over thirty Montgomery County leaders—including state senators Craig Zucker, Susan Lee, Cheryl Kagan; delegates Marc Korman, Sara Love, Julie Palakovich Carr; along with all nine county council members—appealed to WMATA to preserve frequent service. They highlighted that reductions would disproportionately affect students, seniors, and essential workers who depend exclusively on Metrobus service. The group stressed that such cuts would conflict with regional objectives targeting congestion relief and emission reductions.
Public input during FY2021 budget discussions revealed majority opposition: 59% opposed changes for route Z6 (251 responses) while 70% opposed alterations for route Z8 (286 responses).
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning March 16, 2020, Routes Z6 and Z8 shifted to Saturday schedules; by March 18 all service on route Z6 was suspended while route Z8 operated a reduced Sunday schedule. Weekend frequency was adjusted to every thirty minutes starting March 21. Service on route Z6 resumed August 23 with hourly intervals; weekend operations remained suspended. Route Z8 returned to its pre-pandemic timetable.
On September 26, 2020 WMATA proposed eliminating all Saturday service for route Z6 due to budget constraints; nonetheless Saturday service was reinstated March 14, 2021 alongside a full return to pre-pandemic schedules.
On September 5, 2021 Routes Z6 and Z8 were merged into the Silver Spring–Fairland Line, retiring the Calverton–Westfarm and Fairland designations. The combined service runs every fifteen minutes with new Sunday operations added for route Z6. Route Z8’s previous routing inside Verizon-Chesapeake Complex was discontinued but extended during weekday peak periods to Greencastle Park & Ride.
Better Bus Redesign
In 2022, WMATA launched the Better Bus Redesign initiative, marking the first extensive revamp of its Metrobus system.
By April 2023, WMATA unveiled its Draft Visionary Network, which proposed consolidating routes Z6, Z7, and Z8 into a single Route MD242 running between Silver Spring station and Laurel station along the MARC Camden Line. This new route would cover important corridors such as Colesville Road, Columbia Pike, Briggs Chaney Road, and the Greencastle Park & Ride facility.
Plans included transferring service in White Oak along Lockwood Drive and Stewart Lane to the Ride On Flash BRT Orange Line and a proposed Route MD346 that would link the Food and Drug Administration Headquarters with South Laurel Park & Ride. Additionally, WMATA suggested eliminating service between Tech Road Park & Ride and Castle Boulevard.
In the Revised Draft Visionary Network, Route MD242 was redesignated as M52, with modifications to serve Castle Boulevard, Briggs Chaney Park & Ride, and White Oak via Lockwood Drive and Stewart Lane. The M52 would terminate at South Laurel Park & Ride instead of Laurel station and provide daily service between Silver Spring and Laurel, introducing new weekend trips extending to Burtonsville.
A newly proposed Route P11 aimed to connect Hyattsville Crossing station with White Oak Medical Center and continue to Greencastle Park & Ride by traversing key corridors like East-West Highway, Baltimore Avenue, and Old Columbia Pike. These concepts were integrated into WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.
Later adjustments restricted M52’s service to Laurel during weekday peak periods while maintaining daily operation between Silver Spring and Burtonsville Park & Ride. Route P11 was replaced by Route M54, which would run alongside M52 between Silver Spring and Greencastle Park & Ride but diverge at Tech Road Park & Ride to cover Old Columbia Pike and Briggs Chaney Road. Coverage for Castle Boulevard would remain under M52.
On November 21, 2024, WMATA formally approved the Better Bus Redesign Network.
Starting June 29, 2025, Route Z6 largely preserved its Silver Spring–Burtonsville route but merged with Route Z7 to South Laurel Park & Ride during weekday peak hours under the M52 designation. Weekend operations were extended to Burtonsville Park & Ride. Meanwhile, Route Z8 was rebranded as M54 with service along Castle Boulevard and Briggs Chaney Park & Ride discontinued.
Incidents
- On February 1, 2012, a Z8 bus (DE40LF 6020) was involved in a collision with a truck at Colesville Road and Franklin Avenue during morning rush hour, causing minor injuries to two passengers.
- On December 19, 2021, a vehicle struck a Z8 bus at the intersection of Fairland Road and Fairridge Drive; this accident resulted in the driver’s death and injuries to the bus operator.
- On February 17, 2023, a fatal shooting took place on a Z6 bus near Lockwood Drive and New Hampshire Avenue in White Oak following a dispute between passengers. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended on June 14, 2024.