Pershing Drive–Arlington Boulevard Line
| Company type | Public transit authority |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Washington metropolitan area |
| Products | Bus, rail transit services |
| Website | wmata |
The Pershing Drive–Arlington Boulevard Line, known as Route F62, is a daily transit service managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. It links Dunn Loring station on the Orange Line with Rosslyn station, which provides connections to the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines of the Washington Metro. This route serves several important communities including Dunn Loring, Merrifield, West Falls Church, Seven Corners, Arlington Forest, Lyon Park, and Rosslyn across both Fairfax and Arlington counties. It plays a vital role in supporting local commerce by facilitating access to retail centers, workplaces, and commercial districts within these neighborhoods.
Route description and service
Operating out of the Four Mile Run Division, the F62 runs daily schedules through communities in Fairfax and Arlington counties. On weekends, trips alternate between Dunn Loring station and Seven Corners Transit Center to serve varying passenger needs.
History
The Pershing Drive–Arlington Boulevard Line was originally established in 1926 by the Washington Virginia & Maryland Coach Company before being acquired by WMATA in 1973. Since its inception, this line has continuously connected residential areas with commercial hubs and transit points throughout Fairfax and Arlington counties. Notably, it has preserved its original designation despite numerous operational modifications over time.
Previously identified as the 4 line, it encompassed several variants: 4A running between Rosslyn and Culmore via Arlington Boulevard; 4B servicing Jefferson Village/West Falls Church; along with 4E, 4H, and 4S routes catering to different neighborhoods and timeframes. The 4A operated on weekdays only; 4B offered daily service; 4E covered morning peak hours; 4H ran late nights and Saturdays; while 4S functioned during rush periods.
Significant changes include the 1981 shortening of route 4B from Jefferson Village to Seven Corners and the 2006 substitution of route 4S by 4H to streamline peak hour operations. The inauguration of Seven Corners Transit Center in 2012 led to rerouting of lines 4A, 4B, and 4H to enhance system connectivity.
In 2013, WMATA introduced proposals aimed at eliminating underperforming segments and improving punctuality. This restructuring resulted in merging route 4E into 4B and route 4H into 4A, truncating route 4A at Seven Corners while transferring Culmore coverage to route 26A. Additionally, Saturday service was added to route 4A following these adjustments.
By 2016, Saturday trips on route 4A were discontinued, limiting it to weekdays only; however, route 4B continued operating Saturdays every 45 minutes. In 2018, midday service on route 4A was reduced due to low patronage, with compensatory increases in midday frequency on route 4B to every half hour and enhancements to Sunday schedules.
During the COVID-19 pandemic beginning March 2020, service levels were gradually reduced: initially adopting a Saturday timetable, then shifting to Sunday schedules with suspension of route 4A and weekend operations. Weekend service for route 4B resumed by August 2020 while route 4A remained suspended. WMATA’s FY2022 budget proposal recommended permanent elimination of route 4A due to financial constraints; this change was implemented officially in September 2021.
Further cutbacks occurred amid the Omicron variant surge but full weekday operations were restored by February 2022.
Under WMATA's Better Bus Redesign plan effective June 29, 2025, route 4B will be rebranded as F62 with only minor alterations between Rosslyn and Seven Corners Transit Center. Beyond Seven Corners, the line will follow an adjusted alignment similar to Route 1B connecting Seven Corners and Dunn Loring via Arlington Boulevard and Merrilee Drive.