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Forestville Line

From Alfawiki
Forestville Line (Route K12)
Company typePublic transit route
IndustryPublic transportation
Founded1963
Headquarters
Prince George's County, Maryland
,
United States
Area served
Prince George's County, Maryland
ProductsBus transit service
OwnerWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Websitewww.wmata.com/service/status/details/route-k12.cfm

Forestville Line (Route K12)

The Forestville Line, known as Route K12, provided daily bus transit under the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Suitland station and Branch Avenue station on the Green Line. This service connected prominent neighborhoods within Prince George's County, Maryland, including Suitland, District Heights, Forestville, Morningside, Andrews Manor, and Camp Springs.

During weekdays, buses ran every 15 to 45 minutes, while weekend service operated on an hourly schedule. Each journey typically took between 30 and 40 minutes. Certain trips during early morning, late evening, and peak periods followed a truncated path solely between Suitland Metro Station and Penn Mar Shopping Center. In fiscal year 2024, the route accommodated more than 667,000 passengers annually, highlighting its significance in facilitating regional transit links and supporting local economic activity.

Background

Route K12 connected Branch Avenue and Suitland Stations via Penn Mar Shopping Center, with some trips shortened to operate exclusively between Penn Mar and Suitland. Since 2019, the route has been managed from the Andrews Federal Center garage; prior to that, it was assigned to Southern Avenue until 1989 before relocating to the Landover division.

K12 Stops

|- !Marlboro Pike / Lakehurst Avenue |Southbound | Template:Bus icon Metrobus : J12 |- !Marlboro Pike / Boones Lane |Bidirectional | Template:Bus icon Metrobus : J12, V14 |- !Marlboro Pike / Lorring Drive |Bidirectional | Template:Bus icon Metrobus : J12, V14 |- !Donnell Drive / Marlboro Pike |Bidirectional | Template:Bus icon Metrobus : J12
Template:Bus icon TheBus : 20 |- !Donnell Drive / Penn Mar Shopping Center |Southbound | Template:Bus icon Metrobus : V14 (Southbound only)
Template:Bus icon TheBus : 20 |- !Donnell Drive / The Centre at Forestville |Northbound | Template:Bus icon Metrobus : V14 (Southbound only)
Template:Bus icon TheBus : 20 |- !Donnell Drive / Pennsylvania Avenue |Bidirectional | Template:Bus icon TheBus : 20 |- !Silver Hill Road stops (various) |Bidirectional/South/Northbound | Metrobus lines P12, D14, V12 and TheBus routes 34 as applicable |- !Suitland Station Roadway / Suitland Federal Center |Northbound | Metro/District bus lines D12, D14, P12, V12; TheBus: 34; MTA Maryland Bus: 735, 850 |- !Suitland station
Bus Bay K |Southbound stop,
Northbound terminal | Metro lines D12, D14, P12, V12; TheBus: 34; MTA Maryland Bus: 735,850
|}


History

Routes K12 and K19 were originally launched in 1963 to provide bus service between Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington D.C. and the gates of Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, MD, covering several important corridors. These routes were incorporated into WMATA’s Metrobus network on February 4, 1973, following WMATA's acquisition and integration of four private bus operators serving the Washington metropolitan region.

On July 15, 1977, both K12 and K19 were rerouted to include stops at Potomac Avenue and Eastern Market station. By September 25, 1978, the routes were shortened to terminate at Potomac Avenue station, discontinuing their direct service into Downtown DC.

With the Green Line extension reaching Branch Avenue station and the openings of Suitland station and Branch Avenue stations on January 13, 2001, route K19 was eliminated. Route K12 was truncated to operate exclusively between Suitland and Branch Avenue stations via Andrews Air Force Base. To cover the segment from Potomac Avenue Metro Station to Suitland Road & Silver Hill Road intersection, a new route K11 was introduced; it paralleled K12 but did not serve Suitland station and ran during hours when the Green Line was closed. Additionally, route K13 was launched for select peak-hour trips connecting Suitland Metro Station with Penn Mar Shopping Center.

Following the scheduled closure of the Park Berkshire Apartments roadway on June 27, 2004, routes K11, K12, and K13 were adjusted to serve Suitland station by following their usual path between Walters Lane & Pennsylvania Avenue and Hil Mar Drive & Park Berkshire roadway. All K11 and K12 trips heading to Branch Avenue station as well as all K13 services adopted this modified routing.

On June 26, 2016, route K11 was discontinued and merged into route K12. This consolidation streamlined morning service toward Potomac Avenue station before Metro’s opening hours. Later, on June 24, 2018, route K13 was also eliminated and replaced by additional rush-hour trips on route K12. At that time, route K12 was rerouted via Donnell Drive, Marlboro Pike, and Forestville Road but ceased servicing Command Drive at Allentown Road (Joint Base Andrews West Gate).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, starting March 16, 2020, service reductions took effect with operations shifting to a Saturday supplemental schedule. Further cutbacks followed on March 18 with only Sunday schedules running and weekend service suspended beginning March 21. Full restoration of service occurred on August 23, 2020.

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched its inaugural comprehensive overhaul of the Metrobus system known as the Better Bus Redesign initiative.

In April 2023, WMATA unveiled its Draft Visionary Network plan which proposed dividing Route K12 into two distinct segments. The stretch between Suitland station and Forrestville Road & Pennsylvania Avenue intersection would largely remain intact but be extended as Route MD261 to Presidential Parkway/Machinists Building. Meanwhile, the segment from Forrestville Road & Pennsylvania Avenue to Branch Avenue station was planned to merge with Route F14 under a new designation MD257, extending service along F14’s existing corridor and beyond.

Subsequent updates renamed Route MD257 as P61 with modifications to include service to Suitland station by combining F14 and V12 routes. Route MD261 became P66, maintaining the original MD261 and K12 routing between Suitland station and Forrestville Road & Pennsylvania Avenue while adding the J12 loop around Forrestville. The section connecting Forrestville Road & Pennsylvania Avenue to Branch Avenue station was consolidated with the V14 into Route P62, which runs between Penn Marr Shopping Center and New Carrollton station. These revisions were incorporated into WMATA’s proposed network for 2025.

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved the finalized Better Bus Redesign Network aimed at streamlining service along the College Park Line. Effective June 29, 2025, Route K12 will be officially divided: the portion from Branch Avenue station to Penn Mar Shopping Center will merge with V14 forming P62 extending service to Deanwood station, while the segment from Suitland station to Penn Mar Shopping Center will combine with J12 creating P66 serving Forestville.

References

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