Laurel–Burtonsville Express Line
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | January 27, 1985 |
| Defunct | June 29, 2025 |
| Fate | Merged with route Z6 to form route M54 under WMATA Better Bus Redesign |
| Headquarters | Silver Spring, Maryland , United States |
Area served | Montgomery County, Maryland |
| Products | Express bus service |
| Owner | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) |
Laurel–Burtonsville Express Line (Route Z7)
The Laurel–Burtonsville Express Line (designated as Route Z7) was a peak-period express bus service managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). It linked Silver Spring station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro with the South Laurel Park & Ride Lot. Operating approximately every 35 to 45 minutes during rush hours in the primary travel direction, with limited runs outside peak times, this route served important commercial and residential communities, including Burtonsville. The average trip duration was around 65 minutes, supporting commuter travel between Silver Spring and Laurel.
Route
Route Z7 provided service on weekdays during peak periods, running between Silver Spring station and the South Laurel Park & Ride Lot. Most trips ran in the dominant peak direction, with some off-peak journeys as well. The route was managed from the Montgomery division.
Boarding and alighting restrictions were as follows:
- Southbound passengers were prohibited from boarding or disembarking along Columbia Pike/Colesville Road between Industrial Parkway and Spring Street; however, stops at Oak Leaf Drive, Prelude Drive, and University Boulevard were available (with no University Boulevard stop during morning peak hours).
- Northbound travelers could not board or alight on Colesville Road/Columbia Pike between Spring Street and Tech Road but could use stops at University Boulevard as well as Prelude and Oak Leaf Drives.
Riders traveling within these restricted segments utilized routes Z2, Z6, or Z8 before entering the express portion of the journey.
History
Established on January 27, 1985, route Z7 originally operated between Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride alongside route Z6 to Calverton. It was part of the broader Z line network that included routes Z1 through Z5. During the 1990s, route Z7 became part of the Calverton Express Line alongside route Z17, effectively replacing route Z6. Both routes served Colesville Road, Columbia Pike, and Beltsville Drive; however, Z7 diverted via Colesville Road between Burtonsville Park & Ride and Columbia Pike/Industrial Parkway while Z17 remained on Columbia Pike. Route Z19 briefly provided a single weekday peak trip via Takoma station but was discontinued in 2003 due to insufficient ridership.
The Laurel–Burtonsville Express Line also included routes Z9 and Z29 operating between Silver Spring station and South Laurel Park & Ride. The primary distinction was that route Z29 remained on Columbia Pike while route Z9 detoured onto Colesville Road between Burtonsville Park & Ride and Columbia Pike/Industrial Parkway.
Following public consultations, WMATA restructured the Z line services on September 26, 2004. Routes Z7 and Z17 were eliminated and replaced by an expanded route Z6 that operated between Burtonsville Shopping Center and Silver Spring station via Calverton, streamlining service patterns. Portions of former routes between Silver Spring and Industrial Parkway were incorporated into routes Z9 and Z29.
With the inauguration of the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center at Silver Spring station, routes Z9 and Z29 were redirected to Bus Bay 112 located on the first level.
In WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2016 proposal for the Laurel–Burtonsville Express Line, it was suggested to merge routes Z9 and Z29 into a single route Z29 that would divert onto Old Columbia Pike between Greencastle and Briggs Chaney Roads, discontinuing some service along Columbia Pike. Additionally, a new route Z3 was proposed to provide off-peak connections between Silver Spring, Burtonsville, and South Laurel to replace off-peak trips previously served by route Z9.
Historically, route Z3 had operated between Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride until its replacement by multiple routes in 2004; its proposed reinstatement marked a return after an 11-year hiatus.
On March 27, 2016, both routes Z9 and Z29 were discontinued and replaced by a revived route Z7 running every 30 minutes along the former routing of route Z9 but eliminating express service along Columbia Pike between Industrial Parkway and Burtonsville Park & Ride. Route Z7 primarily operated during peak hours with some off-peak service while maintaining previous boarding and alighting restrictions. It also enhanced frequency in South Laurel beyond prior levels.
During WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget review, proposals included cutting route Z7 service between Burtonsville Park & Ride and South Laurel due to a high subsidy cost per rider; alternative coverage would be provided by routes 87, 89, and 89M. Another option considered involved reducing frequency or truncating route Z7 near Fairland or Burtonsville Park & Ride while transferring service to Silver Spring station to Ride On Flash BRT upon its launch along U.S. Route 29.
On June 25, 2017, frequency for route Z7 was reduced from every half hour to intervals ranging from 35 to 45 minutes.
All operations of route Z7 were suspended starting March 18, 2020 as part of WMATA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic but returned to regular schedules on August 23, 2020.
Better Bus Redesign
In 2022, WMATA initiated the Better Bus Redesign initiative, marking its first extensive revision of the Metrobus Network.
By April 2023, WMATA unveiled its Draft Visionary Network, which proposed consolidating routes Z6, Z7, and Z8 into a single service—Route MD242—linking Silver Spring station with Laurel station along the MARC Camden Line. This route was planned to serve major corridors such as Colesville Road and Columbia Pike, as well as several park-and-ride facilities. The express Z7 service on Colesville Road was planned to be discontinued.
The Revised Draft Visionary Network rebranded MD242 as Route M52 and extended coverage to include Castle Boulevard, Briggs Chaney Park & Ride, and White Oak via Lockwood Drive. Additionally, the M52 would follow the former Z6 path between Tech Road Park & Ride and Castle Boulevard. In Laurel, the route's terminus shifted from Laurel station to South Laurel Park & Ride, accompanied by adjustments to local routing. Service was scheduled to operate daily between Silver Spring and Laurel, with weekend trips added for Burtonsville.
The 2025 Proposed Network further refined M52 operations by limiting trips to Laurel to weekday peak periods only, while maintaining daily service between Silver Spring and Burtonsville Park & Ride.
On November 21, 2024, WMATA finalized approval of the Better Bus Redesign Network. Effective June 29, 2025, Route Z7 merged with Z6 (Silver Spring–Fairland Line), preserving transit between Burtonsville Park & Ride and South Laurel Park & Ride Lot under the new route number M54. The express service along Colesville Road was officially eliminated.