Ivy City–Franklin Square Line
| Company type | Bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Washington Railway & Electric Company streetcar line |
| Founded | 1920s (as bus route; originally streetcar line) |
| Fate | Merged into new routes in 2025 as part of WMATA redesign |
Area served | Washington, D.C. |
| Owner | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) |
| Website | www |
Ivy City–Franklin Square Line (Route D4)
The Ivy City–Franklin Square Line, identified as Route D4, was a daily bus route managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority that linked Ivy City with Franklin Square. During weekday rush hours, buses arrived every 17 to 20 minutes, while off-peak intervals ranged from 30 to 35 minutes. The typical journey lasted around 32 minutes.
Background
Operating daily, Route D4 connected Ivy City and Franklin Square via K Street, providing transit access from Ivy City and NoMa into Downtown. The route was serviced out of the Bladensburg garage.
History
Originally established as a streetcar line by the Washington Railway & Electric Company, Route D4 linked Ivy City to Downtown Washington, D.C. It transitioned to bus operations in the 1920s and subsequently came under the ownership of the Capital Traction Company in 1933, followed by DC Transit in 1956. WMATA took over management in 1973.
The corridor mainly ran along K Street and MacArthur Boulevard, connecting locations between Sibley Memorial Hospital and Ivy City, a service known as the Glover Park-Trinidad Line. In the mid-1990s, Route D4 was truncated to terminate at Washington Union Station, with routes D3 and D6 assuming coverage to Sibley Memorial Hospital. This change led to renaming the line as the Ivy City-Union Station Line for operational clarity.
On December 27, 2009, Route D4 was rerouted to serve Franklin Square and McPherson Square station, ending at 13th and I Streets NW instead of Union Station. Route D6 replaced service to Union Station. The bus followed I Street to 14th Street, then traveled via 14th, K, and 10th Streets, New York and Massachusetts Avenues, 6th Street, and K Street to North Capitol Street before continuing on its usual path.
WMATA initially suggested extending Route D4 into Georgetown to restore service to Sibley Memorial Hospital rather than terminating at Franklin Square. In 2012, a proposal was made to extend service to Fort Totten station and Riggs Park, replacing segments of routes E2, E3, and E4. This extension aimed to provide direct Downtown access from Riggs Park and South Dakota Avenue, serve upcoming Walmart locations on Riggs Road and Bladensburg Road/New York Avenue, and eliminate underperforming loops.
In 2015, WMATA proposed lengthening Route D4 to reach the Kennedy Center, taking over part of route 80’s service that had been cut back at Franklin Square. This plan would add stops at locations including Farragut Square, Foggy Bottom, and the Watergate complex. Beginning June 26, 2016, every alternate weekday peak trip on Route D4 extended to Dupont Circle station, partially substituting route D3 service and enhancing direct connections to Farragut Square and Dupont Circle without requiring transfers.
In 2019, WMATA considered cutting Route D4 service after 10:00 PM daily due to low ridership levels; no replacement service was planned. This proposal met strong resistance from Ivy City residents concerned about diminished transit options amid similar reductions affecting route E2. Due to community opposition, WMATA retracted this plan.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, starting March 16, 2020, Route D4 operated on a reduced Saturday supplemental schedule before moving to a Sunday schedule on March 18. Weekend service was halted beginning March 21. Service resumed on August 23; however, extensions to Dupont Circle remained suspended. In February 2021, WMATA proposed eliminating all Route D4 service if federal funding was not secured. Service to Dupont Circle officially ended on September 5, 2021.
As part of WMATA’s Better Bus Redesign effective June 29, 2025, Route D4 will be combined with routes D8 and E2. The merged D4/D8 will be redesignated as Route D36, incorporating former D8 routing between MedStar Washington Hospital Center and K Street NE while maintaining Franklin Square stops along the previous D4 corridor. Meanwhile, the combined D4/E2 will be renamed C71, primarily following E2’s routing through Fort Totten and Ivy City via Riggs Park before continuing along the former D4 alignment toward K Street NE and Washington Union Station.