Fair Oaks–Fairfax Boulevard 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 agency |
| Website | wmata |
The Fair Oaks–Fairfax Boulevard Line, known as Route 1C, was a daily bus route managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). It connected Dunn Loring station on the Orange Line of the Washington Metro to the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center on weekdays, while on weekends it operated to Fair Oaks Mall. This line serviced important communities such as Merrifield, Fair Oaks, and the City of Fairfax, all located within Fairfax County. The frequency of service was roughly every 30 minutes during weekdays and hourly on weekends.
Route Description and Service
Operating daily out of the Four Mile Run division, route 1C connected Dunn Loring station to the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center on weekdays, traveling via Arlington Boulevard and Fairfax Boulevard. On weekends, the route was shortened to end at Fair Oaks Mall. Along its path, it served neighborhoods such as Merrifield and Woodburn in Fairfax County, as well as commercial zones within Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax.
History
Launched in 1983 as part of the Wilson Boulevard–Fairfax Line following a division of the Wilson Boulevard Line, route 1C maintained its original routing until June 24, 2007, when it separated from the Wilson Boulevard–Fairfax Line.
Fair Oaks–Dunn Loring Line
Initially called the Fair Oaks–Dunn Loring Line, route 1C operated between Dunn Loring station and Fair Oaks Mall. Certain early morning and late evening trips extended service to Fairfax Circle. On December 29, 2013, after expanding service to include the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center, the line was renamed Fair Oaks–Fairfax Boulevard Line.
Adjustments
On June 24, 2007, route 1C was shortened to operate only between Dunn Loring station and Fair Oaks Mall; the eastern portion was taken over by route 1A. Prior to this change, route 1C ran alongside route 1Z during peak hours; subsequent to these modifications, route 1Z adjusted its schedule to coordinate with route 1A.
In 2013, WMATA proposed rerouting route 1C from Lee Jackson Memorial Highway onto Random Hills Road before reaching Fair Oaks Mall. This proposal also included extending weekday service to McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center to enhance connectivity. The extension ensured that stops at Fair Oaks Mall were served in both directions.
This plan was later updated to have the route pass through Fairfax County Government Center via Government Center Parkway prior to reaching Fair Oaks Mall while retaining the extension. These adjustments were designed to improve coverage along Lee Highway, within the Fair Oaks community, at Fairfax County Government Center, and along West Ox Road.
Starting December 29, 2013, weekday trips were extended to McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center; however, weekend trips continued terminating at Fair Oaks Mall. Additionally, late-night and early morning trips serving Fairfax Circle were discontinued.
During WMATA's fiscal year 2018 budget review in 2016, there was a proposal to discontinue route 1C due to its high subsidy per rider despite satisfactory ridership levels:
| Performance Metrics | Route 1C | WMATA Benchmark | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Weekday Ridership | 973 | 432 | Met |
| Cost Recovery Rate | 15.12% | 16.6% | Not Met |
| Subsidy per Passenger | $6.57 | $4.81 | Not Met |
| Passengers per Trip | 18.5 | 10.7 | Met |
| Passengers per Revenue Mile | 1.3 | 1.3 | Met |
Despite these findings, no service reductions occurred on June 26, 2016; instead, schedules were modified to improve reliability.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning March 16, 2020, route 1C shifted to a Saturday supplemental schedule before further reducing operations to Sunday schedules by March 18; weekend service was suspended during this time. Weekend service resumed on August 23, 2020 but excluded trips extending to McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center.
On September 10, 2020, WMATA's fiscal year 2022 budget proposal recommended shortening route 1C back to Fair Oaks Mall and lowering weekday frequency as cost-saving measures amid reduced federal funding.
Effective March 14, 2021, weekday service was truncated at Fair Oaks Mall due to closure of West Ox Division; weekend routing remained largely unchanged except for reduced eastbound Saturday service.
On September 5, 2021, all service along West Ox Road & Alliance Drive was discontinued; pre-pandemic scheduling levels were reinstated. Due to rising cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, weekday operations temporarily reverted to Saturday-level frequency until full weekday service returned on February 7, 2022.
As part of WMATA’s Better Bus Redesign implemented June 29, 2025, route 1C merged with route 1A under new designations F60, F61, and F62. These new routes largely follow previous alignments but adjust station stops: F60 combines segments from both routes while bypassing Dunn Loring and Vienna stations; F61 and F62 provide direct service to those stations respectively.