Flash BRT

Last updated
Flash BRT
Flash BRT Logo.svg
Overview
Owner Ride On
Locale Montgomery County, Maryland
Transit type Bus rapid transit
Number of lines1 operational
2 under development
Number of stations12 (operational)
~45 (overall)
Headquarters Rockville, Maryland
Website http://www.ridetheflash.com
Operation
Began operationOctober 14, 2020
(U.S. 29 only)
Operator(s)Ride On
Number of vehicles16
Technical
System length14 mi (23 km) on U.S. 29 [1]

Flash BRT is a bus rapid transit network in Montgomery County, Maryland with one operational line and two more under development. [1] When complete, the network will run along U.S. 29 from Silver Spring to Burtonsville, Maryland Route 355 from Bethesda to Clarksburg, and Maryland Route 586 from Wheaton to Rockville. [2]

Contents

The Burtonsville–Greencastle Express Line, designated Route Z11, was a weekday peak-hour bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride Lot in Burtonsville, Maryland. The line operated every 10–25 minutes during the weekday peak hours in the peak direction only. Route Z11 trips are roughly 50 minutes long. The line was suspended on March 18, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was replaced by Flash BRT in October 2020.

Route

U.S. Route 29

The service runs from the Silver Spring Metrorail station along U.S. 29, before ending at the Burtonsville Park and Ride. Buses drive along the shoulder at the northern end of the route, with the remainder of the service using mixed-traffic roadways. Buses also receive signal priority at some intersections. [1] Howard County has also studied the possibility of extending the BRT line from Burtonsville to Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City. [3] The line opened on October 14, 2020 replacing route 129. [4]

Maryland Route 355

Once complete, this line will begin at Bethesda Station and run along MD 355 through the cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg before terminating at the Clarksburg Outlets shopping mall. [5]

Maryland Route 586

Currently in the preliminary design phase, this line will run from Wheaton station to Rockville station and connect to the MD 355 line. The initial plan includes 11 stations, with a possible future extension to Montgomery College along that portion of the MD 355 line's route. [6]

Former Z11 route

Route Z11 operated during the weekday peak-hours between Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride Lot via Briggs Chaney Park & Ride Lot, Castle Boulevard, and Greencastle Park & Ride Lot via Columbia Pike, Castle Boulevard, Colesville Road, Briggs Chaney Road, Ballinger Drive, and Greencastle Road. The Z11 was an express route to supplement routes Z6 and Z8 during the weekday peak-hours operating express along Columbia Pike while routes Z6 and Z8 operate in Calverton (Z6) and Old Columbia Pike (Z8). The route was suspended during WMATA's reduced service as response to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 18, 2020 [7] and did not return on August 23, 2020. [8] Route Z11 operated out of Montgomery division prior to the suspension.

Restrictions for route Z11 went as follows:

Buses

Flash BRT bus Montgomery County Transit Ride On Nova Bus LFAS.jpg
Flash BRT bus

The Montgomery Country Department of Transportation purchased 16 Nova Bus LFS articulated buses for the U.S. 29 line. These buses can fit up to 80 passengers and feature level boarding, onboard bike racks, and an automatic wheelchair securement system. [9] The buses are also equipped with a pedestrian sensor, which alerts the driver when people are passing in front of the bus. As with other Ride On buses, each bus also features a WiFi hotspot. Passengers can board or exit the bus through any of its three doors.

Stations

Four Corners station FLASH Four Corners Station.jpg
Four Corners station

There are approximately 45 stations proposed across the network, with 12 stations currently operating. Each station includes a large canopy, a seating area, and a fare payment machine that accepts SmarTrip cards along with traditional forms of payment. [4] Stations are also equipped with a passenger information system to let passengers know when the next bus is coming and a blue pylon mounted above the canopy that flashes when a bus is about to arrive.

U.S. Route 29

History

The line was created in 1978 when Silver Spring station opened as the Greencastle-Briggs Chaney Express Line in order to provide express service from Silver Spring to Fairland. Routes Z11 and Z13 will operate between Silver Spring and the Greencastle Park & Ride Lot via Columbia Pike, Castle Boulevard, Colesville Road, Briggs Chaney Road,, and Greencastle Road.

Main differences for routes Z11 and Z13 was route Z11 would serve Briggs Chaney Park & Ride, while route Z13 would skip the Briggs Chaney Park & Ride and run along Ballinger Drive, Wexhall Drive, and Greencastle Road while route Z13 skips both the Briggs Chaney Park & Ride and #14000 Castle Boulevard and remains on Ballinger Drive and turn onto Greencastle Road instead.

2015 Changes

When the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center at Silver Spring station opened, routes Z11 and Z13 were rerouted from its terminus along Wayne Avenue to the new transit center. The Z11, and Z13 were assigned to Bus Bay 108 on level 1. [10] [11]

2015 Proposed Changes

In 2015, WMATA proposed to combine routes Z9 and Z11 into one route to form a new route Z11. The Z11 would discontinue service along Columbia Pike and instead operate along Old Columbia Pike. Also, the route would be extended to the Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride Lot via Columbia Pike. This would simplify the express bus along Columbia Pike and the route changes were recommended by the Z Line Metrobus Study from 2014. [12] [13]

2016 Changes

On March 27, 2016, route Z11 was extended to the Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride Lot via Blackburn Road in order to replace routes Z9 and Z29 which were renamed to routes Z7. Route Z11 will operate every 10–15 minutes during the weekday peak-hours with the final trips operating every 20–30 minutes. There were no changes to bus stop locations along Columbia Pike between White Oak and Silver Spring. Buses were also reassigned to Bus Bay 115 on the level 1 at the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring station. [14] [15]

Route Z13 was also discontinued and replaced by the Z11 as the route became redundant to the Z11. The line was renamed to the Burtonsville–Greencastle Express Line as a result of the changes. [14]

2016 Proposed Changes

In 2016, WMATA proposed to eliminate the Z11 segment between Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride and Greencastle Park & Ride in order to reduce costs. Service frequency between Greencastle Park & Ride and 1400 Castle Boulevard will be also reduced to operate approximately every 20 minutes. Performance measures goes as follows: [16]

Performance MeasuresRoute Z11WMATA GuidelinePass/Fail
Weekday Daily Riders903>432Pass
Cost Recovery19.2%>16.6%Pass
Subsidy/Rider$4.74<$4.81Pass
Riders per Rev Trip25.8>10.7Pass
Riders per Rev Mile0.6>1.3Pass

Proposed Elimination

In 2019, WMATA proposed to eliminate the Z11 in preparation for the new Ride On Flash BRT service which is expected to be in service in 2020. The Z11 averages 35 trips per day and averages 24 riders per trip. [17] [18] [19]

Controversy

Montgomery County expressed concerns over the proposed Montgomery County route changes. [20] According to Council Vice President Tom Hucker, residents impact 65,000 residents of the Maryland county. [21] Residents urged WMATA to not cut service as it will cause a lack of transportation towards the residents. [22]

At least 30 Montgomery County leaders called on WMATA not to cut Metrobus routes in the region, saying it will "disproportionately affect" students, seniors, and service workers with no other source of transportation. The letter's signatories include state senators Craig Zucker, Susan Lee, and Cheryl Kagan, Maryland State Delegates Marc Korman, Sara Love, and Julie Palakovich Carr and all nine members of the county council. In a letter to Metro Chairman Paul Smedberg, members of the Montgomery County Council and state delegation said they opposed the cuts, which are part of WMATA's proposed FY 2021 operating budget, and urged the agency to prioritize "maintaining frequent and reliable service." They also quote; [23]

The Metrobus routes currently recommended for service reductions, including the Q, J, L and Z bus lines, provide transportation for many of our most transit-dependent residents," the lawmakers wrote. "Service reductions will disproportionately affect students commuting to Montgomery College, seniors running daily errands and service workers accessing jobs. Roughly 65,000 Montgomery riders use Metrobus on a daily basis, and for many these bus routes are their only source of transportation.

The 35 lawmakers ended the letter by saying cuts to Metrobus service for Montgomery County would counter their "regional goals of reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions."

On April 2, 2020, the FY2021 budget was released for WMATA. In about 133 votes from customer feedback for the Z11 changes, 73% of votes were against the changes for Z11 with 15% of votes in favor with the remaining 12% uncertain. Many residents were concern over transfers and travel time. [24] As of the revised proposal released in late March 2020, WMATA still has the Z11 elimination under consideration. [25]

The proposal was brought back up again with the opening of Flash BRT in October 2020 and Metro's reduced service since August 2020. Route Z11 has not operated since March 18, 2020 due to Metro's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)</span> Bus transit service in the US federal district

Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Its fleet consists of 1,595 buses covering an area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km2) in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. There are 269 bus routes serving 11,129 stops, including 2,554 bus shelters. In 2021, the system had a ridership of 60,603,600, or about 284,800 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ride On (bus)</span> Primary public transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland

Ride On is the primary public transportation system in Montgomery County, Maryland. Managed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, Ride On serves Montgomery County as well as the community of Langley Park in Prince George's County and Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. In fiscal 2018, it operated on a US$112.3 million budget. In 2021, the system had a ridership of 12,308,000, or about 43,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Carrollton–Silver Spring Line</span>

The New Carrollton–Silver Spring Line, designated as Route F4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between New Carrollton station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 12 minutes between 7AM and 9PM, and 30-60 minutes after 9PM. F4 trips are roughly 62 minutes. The line mainly provides service on the East-West Highway corridor from the eastern portion of Prince George's County to Montgomery County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College Park–Bethesda Line</span>

The College Park–Bethesda Line, designated Route J4, is a rush hour-only MetroExtra bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the College Park–University of Maryland station of the Green and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro and Bethesda station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The J4 operates throughout the neighborhoods in Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland. This line currently runs along construction of the upcoming Purple Line between College Park and Bethesda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenbelt–Twinbrook Line</span> Daily bus routes in Washington, D.C. area

The Greenbelt–Twinbrook Line, designated Route C2 or C4, are daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Greenbelt station (C2) or Hyattsville Crossing station (C4) of the Green and Yellow Lines and Wheaton station (C2) or Twinbrook station (C4) of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. Both lines operate every 15 – 20 minutes during peak hours, 12 – 24 minutes weekdays and Saturdays, while the C2 runs every 45 – 55 minutes on Sundays and the C4 runs every 12 minutes on Sundays and 30 minutes late nights daily. Trips would take roughly 60 – 70 minutes for both routes. On Sundays however, the C2 is shortened to operate between Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center and Greenbelt Station, which takes 30 minutes. Both lines connect northern Prince George's County to Montgomery County via the University Boulevard East/West corridor.

The Greenbelt–Glenmont Line, designated as Routes C7 & C9, was a former line operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority from September, 2000, all the way up to June 28, 2009, running between both Greenbelt of the Green Line & Glenmont station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro during weekday peak periods. The line mostly provided service between both Prince George's County & Montgomery County before being discontinued in 2009 due to low ridership.

The College Park–North Bethesda Line, designated Route C8, is a bus route that operates Monday to Saturday that is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, United States, between College Park–University of Maryland station of the Green and Yellow Lines and North Bethesda station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 30 minutes at all times. Trips are roughly 60 - 80 minutes long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hampshire Avenue–Maryland Limited Line</span>

The New Hampshire Avenue–Maryland Limited Line, designated Route K9, is a limited-stop Metrobus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the Fort Totten station of the Red, Green, and Yellow lines of the Washington Metro and the Food and Drug Administration in White Oak, Maryland. The line operates every 16-20 minutes during weekday peak-hours only. Route K9 trips are roughly 28 minutes.

The Laurel–Burtonsville Express Line, designated Route Z7, is an express peak hour-only bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station, which is served by the Red Line of the Washington Metro, and South Laurel Park & Ride Lot in Laurel, Maryland. The line operates every 35–45 minutes during rush hours only in the peak direction with a few trips in the off-peak direction. Z7 trips are roughly 65 minutes long. This route provides service between Silver Spring and Laurel via Burtonsville by bus.

The I–270 Express Line, designated as Routes J7, J9, was an express bus route that was operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Bethesda station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Lakeforest Transit Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The line operated every 25–30 minutes during rush hours only with J7 trips taking roughly 25 minutes and J9 trips roughly taking 45 minutes. The route was discontinued due to low ridership and arrival of Ride On extRa on October 2, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Avenue Limited Line</span>

The Georgia Avenue Limited Line, designated as Route 79, is a daily bus route that is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Archives station of the Green and Yellow lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 10–12 minutes at all times. Trips are roughly 50 minutes. This line provides additional express service for route 70 daily between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM, serving select stops along Georgia Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethesda–Silver Spring Line</span>

The Bethesda–Silver Spring Line, designated Route J1, J2, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Westfield Montgomery Transit Center. Route J1 operates in the weekday peak direction only while route J2 operates daily. J1 trips roughly takes 45 minutes while J2 trips take roughly 55 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Avenue–Maryland Line</span>

The Georgia Avenue–Maryland Line, designated Route Y2, Y7, Y8, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney or the Georgia Ave – ICC Park & Ride Lot (Y7). The line operates every 20 minutes during the weekday peak hour and weekend late nights, 30 minutes all other times on weekdays, and 40–45 minutes on weekends. Y2 trips are roughly 55 minutes long, Y7 trips are roughly 62 minutes long, and Y8 trips are roughly 70 minutes long. This route provides service along Georgia Avenue in Maryland providing service to multiple communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16th Street Limited Line</span>

The 16th Street Limited Line, designated Route S9, is a limited stop MetroExtra bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station, which is served by the Red Line of the Washington Metro, and McPherson Square station, which is served by the Orange, Blue, and Silver lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 5–12 minutes during rush hours, 12 minutes during weekday middays, Saturdays and Sundays between 7AM and 9PM and 15 minutes after 9PM. Trips are roughly 30-40 minutes long. This line provides additional service between daily along the 16th Street corridor supplementing routes S1 and S2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veirs Mill Road Line</span> Bus route in Washington Metropolitan Area

The Veirs Mill Road Line, designated Route Q1, Q2, Q4, Q5, Q6, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station and Shady Grove station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 16–30 minutes at all times at a combined frequency of 10 minutes during weekday peak-hours, 15 minutes during the weekday midday and weekends, and 30 minutes during the late nights. All trips roughly take 55–60 minutes. The line operates along the Veirs Mill Road corridor connecting passengers to various Metro stations and communities.

The Twinbrook–Silver Spring Line, designated Route J5, was a bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station and Twinbrook station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operated during the weekday peak-hours only providing express service along the Capital Beltway connecting both Silver Spring and Rockville without having to enter Washington D.C. The line was discontinued on June 25, 2017 due to a budget crisis.

The Colesville–Ashton Line, designated Route Z2, is a weekday peak-hour bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Olney and Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 30–35 minutes during the weekday peak hours only. Route Z2 trips are roughly 60–70 minutes long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16th Street Line</span>

The 16th Street Line, designated Route S2, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station, which is served by the Red Line of the Washington Metro, and Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington, D.C. with late night and early morning trips extending to L'Enfant Plaza station which is served by the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 10 minutes during the weekday peak hours, 15 minutes during the weekday midday and Saturday, 20 minutes on Sunday, and 30 minutes late nights. Trips are roughly 55-60 minutes long.

The Silver Spring–Fairland Line designated Route Z6 or Z8 are daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride lot (Z6) and Greencastle Park & Ride Lot (Z8), and Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 20–30 minutes at all times. Both trips are roughly 60 minutes long.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pascale, Jordan (2020-10-13). "Montgomery County Launches A New Rapid Bus Service This Week". WAMU 88.5. Washington, DC.
  2. ↑ "WHERE WILL IT BE?". Ride the FLASH. 2016-10-30. Archived from the original on 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2019-08-02.
  3. ↑ "Info". /www.howardcountymd.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  4. 1 2 Lazo, Luz. "The D.C. region's most ambitious try at bus rapid transit is coming to Montgomery County". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "Bus Rapid Transit On MD 355 | Get On Board BRT". Ride the FLASH. 2019-06-26. Archived from the original on 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
  6. ↑ "FLASH on Veirs Mill". Ride the FLASH. 2017-08-14. Archived from the original on 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
  7. ↑ "METRO SERVICE LEVELS & HOURS FURTHER REDUCED TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL TRIPS ONLY, STARTING WEDNESDAY | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Metrobus Service Changes beginning August 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Diegel, Mike (2020-10-15). "County DOT Launches Flash Bus Rapid Transit Service". Source of the Spring. Silver Spring, MD. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  10. ↑ Goldchain, Michelle (21 September 2015). "Finally, The Silver Spring Transit Center Makes Its Debut". Curbed DC. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  11. ↑ "Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  12. ↑ "Z11, Z13 Greencastle-Briggs Chaney Express Line" (PDF). www.wmata.com. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  13. ↑ Belt, Deb (26 August 2014). "Share Your Thoughts on Metro's Z Line Corridor Services". Silver Spring, MD Patch. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Metrobus adds Sunday service to Greenbelt, extends Metroway as part of service changes effective March 27". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019.
  15. ↑ "PlanItMetro » Z Line" . Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "MARYLAND Proposed Metrobus Service Changes" (PDF). Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  17. ↑ "Balancing the Next Metro Budget to Reflect Your Priorities | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  18. ↑ "MARYLAND Proposed Metrobus Service Changes" (PDF). www.wmata.com. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  19. ↑ Smith, Max (9 December 2019). "Metro considers larger fare hike, major bus changes". WTOP. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  20. ↑ Canales, Veronica (4 March 2020). "Montgomery County Residents Voice Concerns Over Metrobus Route Cuts". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  21. ↑ Uliano, Dick (3 March 2020). "Montgomery Co. battles to preserve Metrobus service". WTOP. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  22. ↑ Grunberger, Alessia. "Montgomery Lawmakers Urge Metro Not To Cut Bus Line Service" . Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  23. ↑ Grunberger, Alessia (20 February 2020). "Bus Service Shouldn't Be Cut, Montgomery Lawmakers Tell Metro". Silver Spring, MD Patch. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  24. ↑ "Approval of the FY2021 Budget and FY2021-2026 CIP" (PDF). www.wmata.com. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  25. ↑ Barthel, Margaret. "Metro Scales Back Plans For Major Bus Cuts". DCist. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  26. ↑ "Proposed Service Adjustments by Jurisdiction" (PDF). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
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