Sibley Hospital–Stadium Armory Line
| Company type | Public transit authority |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | February 20, 1967 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Washington metropolitan area |
| Products | Bus service, Metro rail service |
| Website | wmata |
The Sibley Hospital–Stadium Armory Line, known as Route D6, was a bus service operated daily by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. This route linked the Stadium–Armory station, which serves the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro, with Sibley Memorial Hospital located in the Palisades area. Service frequency was every 15 minutes during weekday rush hours, every 20 minutes during off-peak times, and every 30 to 40 minutes during late-night hours. The journey duration ranged from approximately 60 to 90 minutes.
Background
Operating every day, Route D6 connected Stadium–Armory station with Sibley Hospital, providing transit access for neighborhoods such as Palisades, Foxhall, Burleith, Georgetown, and Kingman Park directly to Downtown without requiring transfers to Metro trains. The buses were dispatched from Andrews Federal Center and Bladensburg garages, with some trips originating at Western.
History
Initially managed by the Washington Railway & Electric Company, the Sibley Hospital Line merged with the Capital Traction Company in 1933. Under the Capital Street Company, Route D6 began service running between Glover Park and Downtown using streetcars before transitioning to bus operation on April 12, 1926. DC Transit assumed control in 1956 until WMATA took over on February 4, 1973.
Over time, service along Loughboro Road was replaced by route M4, and coverage on F Street/D Street was assumed by route 42.
On March 27, 1976, Route D6 was extended beyond Downtown to reach Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station via Washington Union Station, aligning with new Metrorail connections. Subsequently, on June 15, 1977, it stretched further to serve MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Simultaneously, a new Route D8 began operating between Washington Hospital Center and Sibley Hospital through major transit points.
In 1995, a restructuring divided the line for clarity. Route D6 was revised to run between Sibley Hospital and Stadium–Armory station via Union Station, taking over sections previously served by routes 40, 42, and 44 after their discontinuation or shortening. It also replaced parts of routes D2 and D4 between Dupont Circle and Stadium–Armory.
New routes D1 and D3 were introduced: D1 connected Glover Park to Union Station while D3 operated between Sibley Hospital and Union Station. Route D8's coverage was limited to Washington Hospital Center to Union Station. Consequently, Routes D1, D3, and D6 formed the Sibley Hospital–Stadium Armory Line, whereas Route D8 became part of the Hospital Center Line.
On December 27, 2009, additional short-trip runs were added during weekday peak periods on route D6. These complemented full-length trips running every 22 to 25 minutes with two shortened routes operating between Farragut Square and Stadium–Armory as well as Farragut Square and Sibley Hospital.
Adjustments to short-trip terminals near Dupont Circle and Farragut Square were implemented on June 17, 2012 to improve operational efficiency.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, service levels were progressively reduced beginning March 16, 2020—from weekday schedules resembling Saturdays to Sunday-level frequencies—and weekend operations were suspended starting March 21. Partial restoration of service occurred on August 23, 2020.
In February 2021, WMATA proposed discontinuing Route D6 if federal funding was not secured. Replacement service would be provided by modified Routes 80, B2 (Bladensburg Road–Anacostia Line), and N6 (Massachusetts Avenue Line); however, no substitute routes would cover segments between Dupont Circle and Farragut Square or from MacArthur Boulevard to Stadium Armory.
On December 11, 2022, westbound trips on Route D6 heading toward Sibley Hospital were rerouted along I Street due to safety issues connected with road diversions on K Street.
Under WMATA's Better Bus Redesign plan effective June 29, 2025, the line will be divided into two separate routes: the section from Stadium–Armory station to McPherson Square station will be renumbered as route D24 with an extension reaching Deanwood station, while the stretch between Sibley Hospital and McPherson Square will become route D94 extended to Gallery Place station, shifting corridor service from K Street onto H Street.