Greenbelt–Glenmont Line
| Company type | Public transit bus service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | September 2000 |
| Defunct | June 28, 2009 |
| Fate | Discontinued due to low ridership |
Area served | Prince George's County and Montgomery County, Maryland, United States |
| Parent | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) |
The Greenbelt–Glenmont Line, identified as Routes C7 and C9, was managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority from September 2000 until June 28, 2009. This service linked Greenbelt station on the Green Line with Glenmont station on the Red Line during peak weekday periods. It primarily facilitated commuter travel between Prince George's County and Montgomery County. The line was ultimately discontinued in 2009 due to insufficient ridership.
Early Development
Route C7 initially formed part of WMATA’s "Twinbrook-Silver Spring" Line, operating from February 19, 1978, until September 2000. Between 1978 and 1985, it ran from Silver Spring station to the former E.J. Korvette's Department Store in Rockville, passing through the Parklawn Building. In January 1985, C7’s service was shortened to operate solely between Silver Spring and Twinbrook station, traveling via the Parklawn Building and Grosvenor–Strathmore station.
The Twinbrook-Silver Spring Line was discontinued in September 2000 because it duplicated service provided by Metrobus routes Q2, Y5, Y7, Y8, Y9 along Georgia Avenue and route C4 between Wheaton and Twinbrook stations.
Subsequently, C7 was realigned along with a newly introduced Route C9 as part of the "Greenbelt-Glenmont Line," running between Greenbelt and Glenmont exclusively during weekday rush hours. This initiative sought to enhance cross-county transit connections linking Prince George's and Montgomery Counties.
Between Greenbelt and Fairland, Routes C7 and C9 followed distinct paths: C7 served Edmonston Road, Sunnyside Avenue, Tucker Street, Ewing Road, Rhode Island Avenue, Powder Mill Road, Beltsville Drive, Calverton Boulevard, Broadbirch Drive, Old Columbia Pike, and Randolph Road via Centerpark Office Park and the Verizon Chesapeake Complex. Meanwhile, C9 operated along Cherrywood Lane, Greenbelt Road, Baltimore Avenue, Cherry Hill Road, and Randolph Road via Seven Springs Village Apartments and Cherry Hill Park Campground. Both routes merged at Randolph Road & Old Columbia Pike in Fairland before proceeding together toward Glenmont via Randolph Road and Georgia Avenue.
On September 26, 2004, Route C7 was adjusted to travel via Muskgrove Road, Fairland Road, and Tamarack Road instead of returning from Verizon Chesapeake Complex by way of Old Columbia Pike en route to Glenmont. This modification preserved service on corridors formerly covered by discontinued routes Z1, Z4, Z7, and Z17 connecting Verizon Chesapeake Complex, Glenmont Metro Station, Centerpark Office Park in Beltsville, and Fairland.
Route C9 assumed responsibility for the portion of Randolph Road between Old Columbia Pike and Tamarack Road in Fairland previously served by C7, as well as segments of route Z4 service between Randolph Road & Old Columbia Pike and Glenmont station.
In WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget proposal, the Greenbelt–Glenmont Line was proposed for elimination due to low usage levels and overlapping services. Montgomery County expressed preference for reallocating resources to reduce overcrowding and improve reliability on Z line routes serving the Route 29 corridor.
At that time, Routes C7 and C9 operated only during weekday peak periods at intervals of 27 to 37 minutes with an average daily ridership of approximately 330 passengers (equating to about 14 riders per trip), significantly below the system-wide average of 32 passengers per trip. The line’s route overlapped with other services by approximately 96%.
On June 28, 2009, WMATA ceased operations of the Greenbelt–Glenmont Line citing poor performance metrics. Various other routes took over different segments of its former service:
- The stretch covered by C7 between Greenbelt station and Sunnyside Avenue & Tucker Road in Beltsville was replaced by routes 87, 89 & 89M.
- Service connecting Rhode Island Avenue & Baltimore Avenue to Centerpark Office Park in Beltsville was transferred to route 86.
- Coverage along Beltsville Drive & Powder Mill Road in Calverton as well as Broadbirch Drive & Plum Orchard Drive in Westfarm was assumed by routes R2 & R5.
- The segment from Calverton Boulevard & Galway Drive to Tech Road & Columbia Pike in Fairland became part of route Z6.
- No direct replacements were provided for segments on Tucker Road & Ewing Road or westbound Calverton Boulevard & Beltsville Drive once served by C7.
Regarding Route C9:
- Service between Greenbelt station and Baltimore Avenue & Greenbelt Road was replaced with routes 81 and C2.
- The section linking Baltimore Avenue with Cherry Hill Park Campground received coverage from routes 81, 83, and 86.
- Eastbound service along Powder Mill Road & Broadbirch Drive was taken over by routes R2 & R5.
- No replacement services covered portions of Cherry Hill Road near Cherry Hill Park Campground or between Broadbirch Drive & Old Columbia Pike.
Montgomery County’s Ride On Route 10 substituted service from Randolph Road & Old Columbia Pike to Randolph Road & New Hampshire Avenue in Colesville. The remaining segment from New Hampshire Avenue to Glenmont station was covered by route C8.
In WMATA’s Better Bus Redesign plan for 2025, aspects of the former Routes C7 and C9 were revived through new Routes M42 and M44: M44 runs from Hyattsville Crossing station to Beltsville Drive resembling the former C7 path; M42 connects College Park–University of Maryland station to White Oak Medical Center similar to previous C9 routing. Both terminate at North Bethesda station.