North Capitol Street Line
| Company type | Public transit authority |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Washington metropolitan area |
| Products | Bus service, Metro rail service |
| Website | wmata |
The North Capitol Street Line, designated as Route D30, is a bus service operating daily under the management of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. This route links Fort Totten station, which is served by the Red and Green Lines of the Washington Metro, with Federal Triangle located in downtown Washington, D.C. During late night and early morning hours, the service extends to L'Enfant Plaza station, a hub for the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow Metro lines. The frequency of buses is every 12 minutes during rush hours and every 20 minutes during nighttime.
Background
Route D30 runs between Fort Totten station and Federal Triangle along North Capitol Street, with some trips during late night and early morning continuing to L'Enfant Plaza station. It ranks among the most heavily used routes, averaging 4,594 riders on weekdays in 2023. The buses serving this route are dispatched from the Bladensburg division.
Current stops
<section begin=d30-table/>
| Bus stop | Direction | Connections |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | ||
| Fort Totten Bus Bay F |
Southbound stop, Northbound terminal |
Template:Bus icon Metrobus: 60, 64, E2, E4, F6, K2, K6, K9, R1, R2 Template:Rint Washington Metro: Template:WMATA iconTemplate:WMATA icon |
| Fort Totten Alighting Only |
Northbound | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: 60, 64, E2, E4, F6, K2, K6, K9, R1, R2 Template:Rint Washington Metro: Template:WMATA iconTemplate:WMATA icon |
| Galloway Street NE / 4th Street NE | Southbound | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: E2, E4, F6 |
| Galloway Street NE / South Dakota Avenue NE | Both directions | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: E2, F6 |
| South Dakota Avenue NE / Farragut Place NE | Both directions | |
| South Dakota Avenue NE / 8th Street NE | Both directions | |
| South Dakota Avenue NE / Delafield Street NE | Southbound only | |
| South Dakota Avenue NE / Emerson Street NE | Northbound only | |
| South Dakota Avenue NE / Decatur Street NE | Both directions | |
| 12th Street NE / Crittenden Street NE | Both directions | |
| 12th Street NE / Buchanan Street NE | Southbound only | |
| 12th Street NE / Allison Street NE | Northbound only | |
| 12th Street NE / Varnum Street NE | Both directions | |
| 12th Street NE / Upshur Street NE | Southbound only | |
| 12th Street NE / Taylor Street NE | Both directions | |
| 12th Street NE / Michigan Avenue NE | Both directions | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: R4 |
| 12th Street NE / Quincy Street NE | Both directions | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: H6 |
| 12th Street NE / Perry Street NE | Both directions | |
| 12th Street NE / Otis Street NE | Both directions | |
| 12th Street NE / Monroe Street NE | Southbound only | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: G8, H8, H9 |
| 12th Street NE / Newton Street NE | Northbound only | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: G8, H8, H9 |
| Brookland-CUA Bus Bays E and J |
Both directions | Template:Bus icon Metrobus: G8, H2, H4, H6, H8, H9, R4 Template:Bus icon Catholic University of America Shuttle: Blue, Green Template:Rint Washington Metro: Template:WMATA icon Template:Bus icon Archbishop Carroll High School (Washington, D.C.) Shuttle: Brookland Metro Template:Bike icon Metropolitan Branch Trail |
History
Prior to WMATA’s implementation of the Better Bus Redesign, what is now Route D30 was originally designated as Route 80. This route traces its origins back to 1872 when it operated as the North Capitol Street and College Park horsecar line. It encompassed portions of the current Route 80 and the College Park Line, traveling through North Capitol Street and extending to College Park via Brentwood.
Following the transition from horse-drawn cars to electric streetcars operated by the Metropolitan Railroad, the line was purchased in 1902 by the Washington Railway and Electric Company. This entity evolved into the Capital Traction Company during the 1930s and later operated under the name DC Transit after 1956. The discontinuation of Routes 80 and 82 on September 7, 1958, marked the initial phase-out of streetcar services on this corridor.
Route 80 persisted as a bus route running along North Capitol Street. In the early 1970s, it was extended to reach Riggs Road NE but was shortened back to terminate at Fort Totten Metro Station in 1978, shortly after that station opened. Meanwhile, Route 81 remained operational until around 1996 or 1997 before it was absorbed into the College Park Line, connecting Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood station with Cherry Hill via Greenbelt station.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, service adjustments began on March 16, 2020, when operations were reduced to a Saturday schedule. Two days later, on March 18, service was further limited to Sunday schedules, with weekend operations suspended entirely starting March 21. Full restoration of regular service occurred on August 23, 2020.
On September 5, 2021, Route 80's southern terminus was shortened to McPherson Square, with Kennedy Center service being reassigned to routes 42 and 43. Additionally, service frequency was enhanced to run every twelve minutes throughout each day. On June 25, 2023, early morning and late-night trips were extended to Foggy Bottom station. Beginning December 17, 2023, this route will operate continuously around the clock.
In WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2025 proposal, Route 80 is planned to end at Washington Union Station instead of McPherson Square. This change would remove service along H Street, I Street, K Street, and several major avenues. The frequency would also be adjusted from a twelve-minute interval to a twenty-minute headway within the Frequent Service Network.
As part of WMATA’s Better Bus Redesign launching June 29, 2025, Route 80 will be rerouted along E Street NW and will terminate at Federal Triangle rather than McPherson Square. Late-night service will extend further to L’Enfant Plaza station. Concurrently, this route will be rebranded as D30.