Hunting Towers–Potomac Yard–Crystal City Line
| Company type | Bus service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Defunct | June 25, 2006 |
| Fate | Service discontinued, merged into other routes |
Area served | Alexandria and Arlington County, Virginia, United States |
| Products | Bus transit service |
| Parent | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |
The Hunting Towers–Potomac Yard–Crystal City Line, identified as Route 11P and Route 9B, was a bus service managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority that connected Hunting Towers in Huntington, Virginia with Crystal City station, serving the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. This route facilitated travel between Hunting Towers in the City of Alexandria and Crystal City located in Arlington County, with an average trip duration of approximately 25 minutes.
History
Throughout its operation, the Hunting Towers–Potomac Yard–Crystal City Line functioned under two route numbers, 11P and 9B, both evolving from earlier versions of these transit services.
Route 11P
Since 1987, Route 11P was included in the Mount Vernon Line along with Routes 11H and 11X, serving the Mount Vernon area in Fairfax County. During the mid-1990s, it became part of the Alexandria-National Airport Line, operating between Hunting Towers and Crystal City via National Airport during weekday peak periods. On March 12, 2001, Route 11P was reassigned to the Hunting Towers–Potomac Yard–Crystal City Line and rerouted to pass through Potomac Yard Center along Jefferson Davis Highway (currently Richmond Highway), discontinuing its previous service through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Following this change, 11P provided full weekday operations until September 26, 2004, when it merged with Route 9B and was incorporated into the Richmond Highway Line.
Route 9B
Initially part of the Fort Belvoir Line alongside Routes 9A, 9C, and 9D, Route 9B was rebranded in the early 2000s as part of the Richmond Highway Line with the addition of Route 9E. By mid-2005, this line was renamed the Huntington-Potomac Yard-Pentagon Line. Route 9B maintained a schedule similar to that previously held by Route 11P during weekdays. On June 26, 2005, Route 9B separated from this line and resumed operation as the sole route on the Hunting Towers–Potomac Yard–Crystal City Line.
March 2001 adjustments
Effective March 12, 2001, Route 11P was rerouted to serve Potomac Yard Center exclusively, ceasing its service to National Airport. Additionally, it expanded operations to include weekday off-peak hours.
September 2004 adjustments
On September 26, 2004, Route 11P was redesignated as Route 9B and transferred to the Richmond Highway Line. This consolidation preserved existing service frequencies and schedules.
June 2005 adjustments
Route 9B detached from the Huntington-Potomac Yard-Pentagon Line on June 26, 2005, reinstating the Hunting Towers–Potomac Yard–Crystal City Line designation without modifying its timetable.
Service termination
The discontinuation of Route 9B occurred on June 25, 2006, aiming to alleviate bus bunching issues on the Huntington-Pentagon corridor serviced by Routes 9A and 9E. Concurrently, Alexandria's DASH introduced route AT10 to provide alternative transit options within city limits. Meanwhile, Routes 9A and 9E continued operations along Jefferson Davis Highway; routes 23A and 23C of the McLean–Crystal City Line served Crystal City; and Route 9S maintained a loop connecting Crystal City and Potomac Yard.