District Heights–Suitland Line
| Company type | Bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | December 3, 1978 |
| Defunct | June 29, 2025 |
| Fate | Consolidated with Route F14 and renamed Route P61 |
Area served | Prince George's County, Maryland |
Key people | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) |
| Products | Bus service |
| Parent | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |
District Heights–Suitland Line (Route V12)
The District Heights–Suitland Line, known as Route V12, was a daily bus route managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority that linked Addison Road station on the Blue and Silver Lines with Suitland station on the Green Line. This route provided transit access to important communities within Prince George's County, Maryland, such as Capitol Heights, Coral Hills, Walker Mill, District Heights, and Suitland.
Service frequency for Route V12 was every 30 to 40 minutes during weekday peak periods and hourly on weekends, with an average journey time of approximately 35 minutes. In fiscal year 2024, the route accommodated over 449,000 passengers annually, underscoring its significance in linking major Metro lines with suburban neighborhoods.
Background
Operating daily between Addison Road station and Suitland station, Route V12 connected neighborhoods including Capitol Heights, Coral Hills, Walker Mill, District Heights, and Suitland to both Metro stations. This service complemented Route P12 and was managed from the Landover division.
History
WMATA launched Route V12 on December 3, 1978, as a replacement for the former B12 line. While B12 ran from Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington D.C. to Penn Mar Shopping Center, V12 operated under the Pennsylvania Avenue-Maryland Line designation between the newly inaugurated Potomac Avenue station and Penn Mar Shopping Center via Potomac Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue. The segment of B12 running between Potomac Avenue SE & Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Federal Triangle was taken over by routes 32, 34, and 36 on the Pennsylvania Avenue Line (Washington, D.C.).
With the opening of Addison Road station on January 4, 1981, Route V12 was shortened to operate solely between Potomac Avenue and Addison Road stations. The section from Silver Hill Road to Penn Mar Shopping Center was reassigned to routes K12, K19, V14, and V15; at this time, Route V11 was discontinued. Following these changes, V12 was renamed the Addison Road-Potomac Avenue Line.
Routes V14 and V15 took over the previous V12 corridor between Addison Road station and Penn Mar Shopping Center, serving Coral Hills, District Heights, Forestville, and Capitol Heights.
After the inauguration of Suitland station on January 13, 2001, Route V12 was further truncated to operate exclusively between Addison Road and Suitland stations. The portion between Addison Road and Potomac Avenue was replaced by a new Route V11 that provided early Saturday trips before Metro service commenced. Consequently, the line was rebranded as the District Heights–Suitland Line.
Route V11 service ended on June 24, 2007, coinciding with earlier Saturday start times for Blue and Orange Line trains.
In 2014, WMATA proposed exchanging segments of Routes P12 and V12 between Addison Road station and the intersection of Addison Road & Walker Mill Road. This adjustment aimed to improve P12’s direct routing while allowing V12 to concentrate on serving local neighborhoods.
This proposal was enacted on June 21, 2015 as part of Metro's Better Bus Service program: P12 began operating along Addison Road for more streamlined service; meanwhile, V12 adjusted its path to cover Shady Glen Drive, Walker Mill Road, and Central Avenue to enhance neighborhood accessibility.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, service levels were gradually reduced starting March 16, 2020—initially shifting to Saturday supplemental schedules followed by Sunday schedules by March 18; weekend operation ceased entirely from March 21. Full weekday through Saturday service was restored on August 23; however, Sunday service remained suspended.
On September 26, 2020, WMATA proposed permanently eliminating Sunday service on Route V12 due to insufficient federal funding; Sunday operations had been halted since March 15. Nevertheless, Sunday service resumed on March 14, 2021.
Better Bus Redesign
In 2022, WMATA embarked on its inaugural full-scale Metrobus network overhaul through the Better Bus Redesign initiative.
By April 2023, WMATA unveiled its Draft Visionary Network, which included a proposal to divide Route V12 into two distinct parts. The stretch from Suitland station to Marlboro Pike & County Road remained intact but was extended as Route MD366 to reach Penn Mar Shopping Center. Meanwhile, the segment running from Central Avenue & Shady Glenn Drive to Rochell Avenue & Atwood Street was combined with Route F14 to create Route MD257. This new route operated between New Carrollton station and Branch Avenue station, serving key locations such as FedEx Field, Garrett A Morgan Boulevard, Morgan Boulevard station, and other major corridors. Adjustments also involved removing service along Gateway Drive and shifting Addison Road station coverage to Route MD258.
In the Revised Draft Visionary Network, Route MD257 was redesignated as P61, operating between New Carrollton station and Suitland station. This route integrated the existing F14 alignment with the former V12 segment, reinstating service along Johnson and Hayes Streets and providing a connection via Central Avenue & Shady Glenn Drive to Suitland station. The previously proposed Route MD366 was eliminated in favor of Routes C37, P61, P62, P64, P65, P66, and P67. These modifications laid the groundwork for WMATA's Proposed Network for 2025.
On November 21, 2024, WMATA formally approved the Better Bus Redesign Network. Beginning June 29, 2025, Route V12 was consolidated with the F14 line and rebranded as Route P61. This route maintained service between Suitland station and Central Avenue & Shady Glenn Drive but discontinued stops at Addison Road station. Instead, it serves Garrett A. Morgan Boulevard, Morgan Boulevard station, and Northwest Stadium, before continuing along the former F14 path to New Carrollton station.