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Wisconsin Avenue Line
Bus route in Washington, D.C., United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Wisconsin Avenue Line, designated as the Wisconsin Avenue–Union Station Line on Route D80, and Wisconsin Avenue-Foggy Bottom Line on Route D82, are bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Its main purpose is to provide service to the upper Northwest side via Wisconsin Avenue NW.
Routes D80 and D82 operates between the Friendship Heights station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Washington Union Station (D80) or Potomac Park (D82), running every 10 to 12 minutes between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays. In addition, Route D80 operates on weekends every 10 minutes during the day and 15 - 20 minutes after 9 p.m. daily. Route D80 trips are roughly 60 minutes long, while Route D82 trips are 45 minutes long.
The routes operate out of WMATA's Montgomery and Western division.
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Route D80 stops
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Route D82 stops
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History
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Before WMATA implemented the Better Bus Redesign network, Route D80 was previously known as Route 33, while Route D82 was previously known as Route 31. The 30 series line is one of the oldest transit routes in the city, tracing its origin to streetcar lines and the Washington and Georgetown Railroad in the 1860s. Buses began to operate on the line in 1936. Today, it is one of the most-ridden bus lines in D.C., serving more than 20,000 passengers a day in 2008.[2]
The five routes, 30, 32, 34, 35, and 36, begin their journey at Friendship Heights station and end at Potomac Avenue station (30), Southern Avenue station (32), or Naylor Road station (34, 35, and 36).
In 2008, WMATA launched a study on the Pennsylvania Avenue line to improve services and to reduce delays and bus bunchings.[2]
Route 31
Route 31 was introduced on June 29, 2008, dubbed as a "neighborhood connector" as part of an overhaul of the busy Pennsylvania Avenue Line. Route 31 connects Friendship Heights station to Potomac Park to provide help to routes 32 and 36 along Wisconsin Avenue and replace routes 30, 34, and 35.[3]
Route 33
As part of proposals from 2013 to simplify the Wisconsin Avenue Line again,[4] route 33 was introduced on August 24, 2014 to replace the 32 and 36 portion along Wisconsin Avenue and to provide extra service to the 31, and the newly introduced Friendship Heights–Southeast Line or routes 30N and 30S. Route 33 provides more service between Friendship Heights station and Federal Triangle to help out the 30N, 30S, and 31. Routes 32 and 36 were shorten to Potomac Park being replaced by routes 30N, 30S, 31, and 33.[5][6]
Changes
In 2019, as a part of WMATA's Blue/Orange/Silver Line Corridor Capacity & Reliability Study (BOS Study), the transit agency suggested, as one of six potential options, realigning Metrorail's Blue Line along Wisconsin Avenue, terminating at Friendship Heights or Bethesda station, after crossing over the Potomac River from Georgetown from Rosslyn.[7] The proposal was ultimately not included among WMATA's list of four finalists in 2023.[8]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, routes 31 and 33 operated on their Saturday supplemental schedule during the weekdays beginning on March 16, 2020.[9] On March 18, 2020, the line was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule.[10] Weekend service was later suspended on March 21, 2020 being replaced by Routes 30N and 30S.[11] On August 23, 2020, routes 31 and 33 restored its regular schedule but Route 31 weekend service was suspended being replaced by Route 33.[12]
On September 26, 2020, WMATA proposed to eliminate all route 31 weekend service and add route 33 trips due to low federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Weekday service will not change.[13]
On September 5, 2021, the line was increased to operate every 12 minutes daily. However, all 31 weekend service were discontinued and replaced by increased 33 service.[14]
Due to rising cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, Route 33 was reduced to its Saturday service on weekdays and all Route 31 service was suspended.[15] Full weekday service resumed on February 7, 2022.[16]
On May 29, 2022, all late-night route 33 service was extended to terminate at L'Enfant Plaza station via 7th Street.[17]
On December 15, 2024, Route 31 was changed to operate during weekday peak hours only, and Route 33 was rerouted to Washington Union Station via H Street/I Street and Massachusetts Avenue at all times. This was in response to DC Circulator being discontinued on January 1, 2025. Service to Federal Triangle and L'Enfant Plaza station was eliminated.[18]
Better Bus Redesign
In 2022, WMATA launched its Better Bus Redesign project, which aimed to redesign the entire Metrobus Network and is the first full redesign of the agency's bus network in its history.
In April 2023, WMATA launched its Draft Visionary Network. As part of the drafts, WMATA proposed to combine the 31 and 33 into one route and operate on the current 33 routing between [[Friendship Heights station and Federal Triangle as Route DC101 in the draft. The route would also be extended from Friendship Heights station to Bethesda station via Wisconsin Avenue.[19]
During WMATA's Revised Draft Visionary Network, WMATA renamed the DC101 to Route D82 and modified it to operate between Friendship Heights station and Archives station via the current 33 routing between Friendship Heights station and the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 10th Street NW, then would continue along Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 7th Street NW, Constitution Avenue NW, and 9th Street NW to Archives station. A new Route D8X would operate alongside the D82 between Bethesda station and Archives station, following the originally proposed Route DC101 routing, with the route not terminating at Federal Triangle.[20][21] However during the proposals, WMATA dropped the D8X from the proposals completely and modified the D82 to operate to McPherson Square station via H Street NW, I Street NW, 14th Street NW, K Street NW, and 13th Street NW. The changes were then proposed during WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.[22][23]
In later proposals, WMATA renamed the D82 to Route D80 and changed it again to operate to Washington Union Station via New York Avenue NW and Massachusetts Avenue NW. Service to Federal Triangle and L'Enfant Plaza station was eliminated. Route 31 was also reintroduced to the proposals as Route D82 to operate between Friendship Heights and Potomac Park via the current 31 routing. However, the route would only operate during weekday peak hours, discontinuing all non-peak period service. These changes were made in response to DC Circulator's Georgetown–Union Station being discontinued beginning on January 1, 2025.[24] Ultimately these changes were approved in October 2024 and were implimented on December 15, 2024.[18]
On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved its Better Bus Redesign Network.[25]
Beginning on June 29, 2025, Routes 31 and 33 were renamed to the D80 (33) and D82 (31), keeping the same routing from the December 2024 changes.[26]
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Incidents
- On June 3, 2022, a man was stabbed onboard a 33 bus along Wisconsin Avenue near Newark Street NW. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition. The suspect fled the scene.[27][28]
- On October 21, 2023, a man was stabbed onboard a 33 bus at 34th St and Wisconsin Ave. The suspect fled the scene.[29]
References
External links
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