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Marlboro Pike Line

From Alfawiki
Marlboro Pike Line (Route J12)
Company typePublic transit route
IndustryPublic transportation
Founded1925
DefunctJune 29, 2025 (2025-06-29)
FateDiscontinued and merged into other routes
Area served
Prince George's County, Maryland; Washington, D.C.
OwnerWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
ParentWMATA Metrobus

The Marlboro Pike Line (Route J12) was a daily transit route managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, linking Addison Road station—served by the Blue and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro—to Forestville, Maryland. Service frequency was every 35 minutes during rush periods and every 70 minutes during midday hours and weekends. The duration of each journey ranged from 28 to 35 minutes.

Background

Route J12 provided transportation between Addison Road station and Forestville (located at 8411 Old Marlboro Pike) throughout weekdays and weekends, operating from early morning until late evening. During peak travel times, buses arrived every 35 minutes, while off-peak intervals extended to 70 minutes. Initially, this route was dispatched from the Southern Avenue Annex garage until February 1989, after which it transferred to the Landover division when that facility commenced operations. On June 23, 2019, responsibility shifted again to the Andrews Federal Center division.

J12 stops

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History

The J12 route commenced operations in 1925 as a segment of the Marlboro Pike streetcar line, connecting Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington D.C. with Andrews Air Force Base located in Camp Springs, Maryland. During the 1950s, this streetcar service was transitioned into a bus route. Subsequently, on February 4, 1973, it became part of the WMATA Metrobus system following WMATA’s acquisition of four private bus operators serving the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Upon the inauguration of Potomac Avenue and Eastern Market stations on July 15, 1977, J12 began making stops at these locations.

On September 25, 1978, the J12 route was shortened to run solely between Potomac Avenue station and Andrews Air Force Base during the operational hours of the Blue Line. However, limited early morning and late-night trips continued to operate between Federal Triangle and Andrews when the Blue Line was not in service.

By January 4, 1981, further reductions confined J12’s operation to the corridor between Addison Road station and Andrews Air Force Base. Around this period, WMATA introduced additional routes: J11, J13, J14, and J15. The J11 provided weekday midday service between Addison Road and Andrews via Machinists Place Building and included special early morning southbound trips originating from Federal Triangle that bypassed Addison Road. Route J13 covered the original path of J12 during Metrorail shutdowns. Meanwhile, J14 and J15 offered all-day weekday service between Addison Road and Ritchie but in opposite directions; J14 operated midday while J15 served peak travel times.

With the Green Line extension reaching Branch Avenue on January 13, 2001, routes J11, J12, and J13 were redirected to serve Forestville instead of Andrews Air Force Base. The segment along Forestville Road formerly covered by these routes was substituted by extended K11 and K12 routes terminating at Branch Avenue station.

Following increased security measures after the September 11 attacks, restrictions implemented in October 2001 prohibited routes J11, J12, and J13 from entering Andrews Air Force Base gates. Consequently, these routes were truncated to Forestville. However, schedule updates reflecting this change were not published until June 30, 2002.

On December 18, 2004, with the launch of Morgan Boulevard and Largo Town Center stations, routes J14 and J15 were discontinued. Their service was replaced by Prince George's County TheBus Route 24, which extended coverage to Morgan Boulevard via major corridors including Kipling Parkway and Ritchie Road.

On June 24, 2007, northbound trips on route J13 from Forestville to Federal Triangle were eliminated alongside a special southbound J11 trip that bypassed Addison Road following earlier Blue Line operations.

On June 26, 2016, WMATA discontinued routes J11 and J13; their services were merged under route J12. Peak period trips previously identified as J11 to Machinists Place Building were incorporated into the J12 designation.

In 2016, WMATA proposed rerouting the J12 to serve Capitol Heights station, removing Central Avenue service to Addison Road station and routing through Penn Marr Shopping Center to enhance connections with K12, V12, and TheBus Route 20. Although these plans did not advance at that time, they reemerged during FY2019 budget discussions emphasizing the Capitol Heights reroute.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, starting March 16, 2020, service was reduced initially to a Saturday supplemental schedule and then shifted to a Sunday schedule by March 18. Weekend service was suspended beginning March 21. Full operations resumed on August 23, 2020.

Effective June 16, 2024, all service to Machinists Place Building was discontinued.

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched the Better Bus Redesign initiative, marking its inaugural comprehensive revision of the Metrobus Network.

By April 2023, WMATA unveiled its Draft Visionary Network, which proposed dividing the J12 route into two separate services: the portion running between Addison Road station and Marlboro Pike & Donnell Drive was designated as Route MD260, while the segment serving Presidential Parkway and the Machinists Building was reassigned to Route MD261 (previously K12), operating between Suitland station and Presidential Parkway.

Following this, WMATA rebranded MD260 and MD261 as Routes P67 and P66, respectively. The P67 maintained the alignment of the former MD260; however, starting June 2024, after discontinuing service to Presidential Parkway/Machinists Building, Route P66 was modified to follow the J12 Forrestville loop via Pennsylvania Avenue, Old Marlboro Pike, Suitland Parkway, and Forrestville Road. These adjustments were incorporated into WMATA's Proposed Network for 2025.

Subsequent plans proposed eliminating Route P67 in favor of extending Routes P61 and P62, while keeping Route P66’s routing intact.

On November 21, 2024, WMATA ratified the final version of the Better Bus Redesign Network, streamlining operations along the College Park Line. Effective June 29, 2025, Route J12 was discontinued; its section between Penn Mar Shopping Center and Forestville was consolidated with the K12 (renamed P66) running between Suitland station and Forestville. Meanwhile, service from Addison Road station to Penn Mar Shopping Center was transferred to TheBus.

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