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Temple Hills–Marlow Heights Line

From Alfawiki
Temple Hills–Marlow Heights Line (Route H12)
Company typeBus service
IndustryPublic transportation
Founded1939
Defunct2025-06-29
FateDiscontinued and replaced by other routes
Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
,
United States
Area served
Prince George's County, Maryland
ParentWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

The Temple Hills–Marlow Heights Line, known as Route H12, was a bus service running daily under the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. It linked the Naylor Road station on the Green Line with the Heather Hill Apartment Complex located in Temple Hills, Maryland. This route also provided access to major retail centers such as Iverson Mall and the Marlow Heights Shopping Center. On weekdays, buses operated every 35 minutes, while weekend service was scheduled every 60 minutes, with each journey taking around 30 minutes.

Background

Route H12 connected Naylor Road station to Heather Hills Apartment Complex in Temple Hills, Maryland, traveling mainly along Fisher Road, Temple Hills Road, St. Barnabas Road, and Branch Avenue. It served the neighborhoods of Hillcrest Heights, Silver Hill, Marlow Heights, and Temple Hills.

Since June 23, 2019, operations for Route H12 have been handled by the Andrews Federal Center division. Prior to this date, responsibility shifted between the Landover and Southern Avenue divisions.

H12 Stops


History

The origins of routes H11, H12, and H14 trace back to 1939 when they operated as streetcar lines managed by Washington Marlboro & Annapolis Motor Lines Inc. (WM&A). These lines connected Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington DC to Heather Hills Apartments in Temple Hills, Maryland, passing through Iverson Mall and Marlow Heights Shopping Center. Their path primarily followed Pennsylvania Avenue, Independence Avenue, 7th Street, Branch Avenue, St. Barnabas Road, Temple Hill Road, and Fisher Road. Route H11 included a detour serving Princeton Estates Apartments in Marlow Heights.

While routes H11 and H12 provided service throughout the week, H14 ran exclusively during weekday peak periods. During the 1950s, these streetcar lines transitioned into bus routes and were incorporated into WMATA’s system on February 4, 1973.

Following the inauguration of Potomac Avenue station on September 25, 1978, all three routes were shortened to operate solely between Potomac Avenue station and Heather Hills Apartments. Service to downtown was replaced by the Blue Line Metro.

With the opening of Naylor Road station on January 13, 2001, routes H11 and H12 were further truncated to run only between Naylor Road and Heather Hills Apartments. The section from Naylor Road to Potomac Avenue was taken over by routes 35 and 36. Meanwhile, Route H14 was discontinued and substituted by route H13, which operated during weekday peak hours between Naylor Road and Heather Hills Apartments but omitted the Hillcrest Heights deviation.

In WMATA’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget plan, a proposal was introduced to reroute H11, H12, and H13 on weekdays and Saturdays via Curtis Drive to Carriage Hill Apartments. This change aimed to replace the discontinued C12 and C14 routes.

On June 25, 2017, the frequency of weekday peak services was decreased from intervals of every 20 minutes to every 25 minutes.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic beginning March 16, 2020, service on Route H11 was suspended entirely. Routes H12 and H13 operated on a Saturday supplemental schedule initially before shifting to a Sunday schedule; however, H13 service ceased by March 18. Weekend operations were fully halted from March 21 onward. On August 23, 2020, weekday service for route H12 was increased and Saturday service resumed; Sunday operations remained suspended.

On September 26, 2020, WMATA proposed eliminating all service for routes H11 and H13 while reducing route H12’s frequency to once per hour with limited Sunday hours. Since March of that year, routes H11 and H13 had been inactive due to pandemic-related reductions. Sunday service for route H12 was reinstated on March 14, 2021.

Full restoration of route H12 service occurred on September 5, 2021; however, routes H11 and H13 were not revived and are considered discontinued.

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched the Better Bus Redesign initiative—an extensive revamp of the Metrobus network designed to improve overall service.

In April 2023, WMATA unveiled the Draft Visionary Network plan that proposed segmenting Route H12 into several new routes. One segment combined with route D14 to create Route MD264 operating between Suitland station and Oxon Hill Park & Ride, incorporating portions of both original lines. Another segment became Route MD373 connecting Naylor Road station with Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Complex via major corridors. The final segment was designated Route MD374, closely following TheBus Route 32 along much of the original H12 alignment.

Service coverage along Branch Avenue as well as Coelbrook Drive, 25th Avenue, and 26th Avenue was removed without introducing replacement routes.

In the Revised Draft Visionary Network proposal, MD264 was renamed Route P96 with routing adjustments aimed at enhancing efficiency and coverage. Routes MD373 and MD374 were rebranded as Routes P98 and P86 respectively; however, Route P98 was later omitted from the 2025 Proposed Network.

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved the finalized Better Bus Redesign Network. Effective June 29, 2025, Route H12 will be discontinued and largely supplanted by TheBus Route P86 along with WMATA Route P96—thereby streamlining transit services within the affected corridors.

Incidents

  • On November 14, 2022, an individual was assaulted and robbed while riding an H12 bus close to the intersection of Iverson Street and 23rd Parkway. The assailant escaped the scene, leaving the victim critically injured.

References

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