Bus Service Shouldn't Be Cut, Montgomery Lawmakers Tell Metro

SILVER SPRING, MD — More than 30 Montgomery County leaders on Tuesday 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.

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."

"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."

WMATA's $2 billion proposed operating budget cuts or reduces service to the following lines:

• Q1, Q2, Q5, Q6 Veirs Mill Road
  • Eliminate service between Rockville and Shady Grove stations
  • Routes will still operate between Rockville and Silver Spring stations
• Z2 Ashton-Colesville, Z6 Calverton-Westfarm, Z8 Fairland, Z11 Greencastle-Briggs Chaney Express
  • Once Montgomery County's US-29 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) starts, service will be added to Route Z6 (including on Sundays)
  • Routes Z2, Z8, and Z11 will be eliminated
  • Route Z6 will reroute to Greencastle Park & Ride via Lockwood Drive and Castle Boulevard and will no longer go to Burtonsville
• J2 Bethesda-Silver Spring, L8 (Friendship Heights-Aspen Hill)
  • Reduce early morning and late-night service

The letter's signatories include: State Sens. Craig Zucker, Susan Lee, and Chery Kagan; Dels. Marc Korman, Sara Love, and Julie Palakovich Carr; and all nine members of the county council.

All 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."

Public hearings about WMATA's proposed budget will be held next week. The details can be found here. Riders can also give take the online survey by Monday, March 2 at 5 p.m.

Metrobus Service Cuts FY21 by Councilmember Evan Glass on Scribd