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Riggs Road Line

From Alfawiki
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Company typePublic transit authority
IndustryPublic transportation
Founded1967
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
,
United States
Area served
Washington metropolitan area
ProductsBus service, Metro rail service
OwnerGovernment of the District of Columbia; Maryland; Virginia
Websitewmata.com

The Riggs Road Line consists of two routes: Route P15 (Riggs Road–Adelphi Line) and Route P16 (Riggs Road–White Oak Line), both managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. These routes connect Fort Totten station, which serves the Red and Green Lines of the Washington Metro, with destinations at either Adelphi (via P15) or White Oak Medical Center (via P16). During peak periods, Routes P15 and P16 operate at 20-minute intervals. On weekdays, P16 buses run every 35 to 60 minutes, while weekend service is hourly. The average trip length is approximately 32 minutes for P15 and around 55 minutes for P16.

Background

Routes P15 and P16 provide transit service along Riggs Road, linking Fort Totten station with either Adelphi or Calverton. Route P15 operates exclusively during weekday peak times and only in the direction of peak travel, whereas Route P16 offers daily service. Service frequency ranges from every 20 to 30 minutes during weekday rush hours, extends to 35 minutes during off-peak times, and increases to intervals between 55 and 65 minutes on weekends.

Both lines are dispatched from the Bladensburg garage; however, prior to 2018, some peak trips were assigned to the Northern garage. Given the substantial passenger demand, articulated buses are deployed on these routes.

P15 stops

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P16 stops

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History

Prior to WMATA’s Better Bus Redesign initiative, what is now Route P15 was designated Route R1 and Route P16 was known as Route R2. The origins of the Riggs Road Line trace back to the 1970s when routes R8 and R9 connected Downtown DC with Calverton. Eventually, service into Downtown was replaced by the introduction of the Red Line.

In 1975, Route R2 commenced operations as part of the Calverton-Kennedy Center Line, linking the Kennedy Center with Great Oaks Center in Calverton via a complex path through Washington and its Maryland suburbs. By February 1978, this route was altered to serve the Queens Chapel Road Line between Brookland–CUA station and Calverton.

Also launched in 1975 was Route R4 on the Crystal City-Calverton Line, running between Crystal City in Virginia and Great Oaks Center while traversing important corridors in DC. At that period, routes R8 and R4 operated between Calverton and Crystal City station but were later truncated to terminate at Fort Totten. Meanwhile, Route R5 served between Fort McNair and the Kennedy Center before being phased out.

Following the opening of Fort Totten and Brookland–CUA stations on February 19, 1978, Route R4 was redirected to operate along Queens Chapel Road Line between Brookland-CUA and Hyattsville; concurrently, Route R8 assumed responsibility for Riggs Road service between Fort Totten and Calverton. Subsequently, Route R9 supplemented Route R8 on this corridor.

On December 11, 1993, Routes R8 and R9 were discontinued and replaced by a rerouted Route R2 running between Fort Totten and Calverton via Prince George's Plaza and Riggs Road; service to Brookland–CUA shifted to Route R4. New Routes R1 and R5 were introduced alongside Route R2: Route R1 operated during peak periods between Fort Totten and Adelphi with a loop serving Adelphi; Route R5 also ran peak hours following much of Route R2’s path but bypassed Prince George’s Plaza.

During the 1990s, Route R7 reappeared on the Riggs Road Line connecting Fort Totten and Calverton but diverted through the U.S. Army Research Laboratory along Floral Drive while avoiding Prince George’s Plaza.

After Great Oaks Center closed in June 1996, Routes R2, R5, and R7 were truncated to terminate at Orchard Shopping Center. In 1998, due to security restrictions at the Army Research Lab site, Route R7 was eliminated with its coverage absorbed by Route R2.

On May 15, 2003, Prince George’s Plaza bus bays were removed to make way for a new Target store; consequently routes including Route R2 ceased entering the mall loop—Routes R1 and R5 remained unaffected.

In WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2011-2012 budget proposals, plans called for Route R2 to replace Route R3 by extending service into Lewisdale along 23rd Avenue and University Boulevard while discontinuing service to Prince George’s Plaza (covered by other routes). Additionally, Route R5 was proposed for elimination with increased frequency on Route R2; meanwhile Route R1 was proposed to remain unchanged. These ideas resurfaced in early 2011.

On June 17, 2012, these changes took effect: Route R2 was rerouted through Lewisdale replacing the shortened Route R3; service to Prince George’s Plaza ended with TheBus Route 18 providing alternative coverage. At this time Route R5 was discontinued with additional trips added to Routes R1 and R2.

On December 30, 2018 WMATA suggested extending Route R2 beyond Calverton toward Muirkirk or Greenbelt stations while eliminating its Lewisdale segment and discontinuing Route R1 in favor of a more direct routing. The Lewisdale area would continue to be served by rerouted F8 and TheBus route 18. Although these changes aimed at simplifying service patterns were proposed they were not implemented following public feedback.

Other considered but ultimately not adopted proposals included launching a MetroExtra service on Riggs Road; terminal modifications for Routes R1/R2; or rerouting/extending services within Lewisdale or Adelphi neighborhoods.

During the COVID-19 pandemic response beginning March 16, 2020 all service on Route R1 was suspended while reduced schedules operated on Route R2; weekend service was halted starting March 21. Both routes returned to regular operation on August 23, 2020.

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched the Better Bus Redesign initiative, marking the first major comprehensive update to the Metrobus Network in its existence.

By April 2023, WMATA unveiled its Draft Visionary Network, which streamlined the Riggs Road Line into Route MD244 (R2) and substituted the Calverton loop with two-way service along Calverton Boulevard. Additionally, service along Metzerott Road was replaced by the proposed Route MD246.

The Revised Draft Visionary Network rebranded MD244 as P13 and merged routes R1 and R2 into a unified line connecting Fort Totten and White Oak Medical Center through Adelphi. This plan incorporated two-way routing on Calverton Boulevard along with extra loops around Adelphi on select trips. During weekday peak hours and Saturdays before 8:00 pm, trips ran solely between Fort Totten and Adelphi Loop, while service to White Oak bypassed Adelphi Loop. Meanwhile, MD246 was renamed P36 without changes to its route. These adjustments were integrated into WMATA’s 2025 Proposed Network.

In the 2025 proposal, Routes P13 and P36 were replaced by P15 and P16. Route P15 followed the R1 path but was rerouted to pass through Lewisdale via East-West Highway, 23rd Avenue, and University Boulevard before arriving at Adelphi Loop. Route P16 largely retained the R2 alignment with two-way service on Calverton Boulevard, consistent with the earlier P13 concept.

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved the Better Bus Redesign Network, simplifying operations on the College Park Line. Starting June 29, 2025, Route R1 was renamed P15 and rerouted to include Lewisdale; Route R2 became P16, discontinuing service along Cherry Hill Road while introducing two-way routing on Calverton Boulevard.

References

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