New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line

The New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line, designated Route F6, is a weekday-only bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the New Carrollton station Orange Line station of the Washington Metro and the Fort Totten station on the Red, Green, and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 30 minutes during peak hours and 60 minutes all other times, weekdays only. F6 trips are roughly 60 minutes. This route provides weekday service between Fort Totten and New Carrollton stations without having to take the train into Downtown DC.

See also: New Carrollton–Silver Spring Line

F6
New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line
Route F6 at Prince Georges Plaza
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageLandover
LiveryLocal
StatusIn service
Began service1978
PredecessorsR3
Route
LocalePrince George's County, Northeast
Communities servedNew Carrollton, Riverdale, College Park, Hyattsville, University Park, Chillum, Carole Highlands, Queens Chapel
Landmarks servedNew Carrollton station, Finns Lane, Parkdale High School, College Park–University of Maryland station, University of Maryland, Northwestern High School, Prince George's Plaza station, West Hyattsville station, Fort Totten station
StartNew Carrollton station
ViaSargent Road, Good Luck Road, Finns Lane, Campus Drive, Ager Road, University Boulevard
EndFort Totten station
Service
LevelWeekday service only
Frequency30–60 minutes
Operates5:20 AM – 9:35 PM
TransfersSmarTrip only
TimetableNew Carrollton–Fort Totten Line
← F4  {{{system_nav}}}  F8 →

Background

Route F6 operates weekdays only between New Carrollton station and Fort Totten station mostly along Sargent Road, Good Luck Road, Finns Lane, Campus Drive, Ager Road, and University Boulevard without having to take the train. It connects the New Carrollton, Riverdale, College Park Hyattsville, University Park, Chillum, Carole Highlands, and Queens Chapel communities to various Metrorail stations and parts of Northeast DC.

Route F6 currently operates out of Landover division.

History

Routes F4 and F6 were created as brand new Metrobus routes on February 19, 1978, to replace the segment of the former J2 & J4 streetcar lines between Silver Spring & Beltway Plaza, when Silver Spring station opened.[1] J2 was truncated to only operate between the Silver Spring station & Montgomery Mall only while J4 was truncated to only operate between Silver Spring station & Bethesda, instead of operating all the way to Beltway Plaza[1]

Route F6 originally operated between Prince George's Plaza and Greenbelt Center (Crescent Road & Gardenway) in Old Greenbelt, F6 operated on the former J2 & J4 streetcar lines between Silver Spring and the intersection of East–West Highway & Ager Road and Prince George's Plaza & Beltway Plaza, via University of Maryland College Park Campus. F6 also operated on the former F9 streetcar line routing along Ager Road, Hamilton Street, Queens Chapel Road, and Belcrest Road to get back to Prince George's Plaza. The only difference though, would be that F6 would provide new Metrobus service between the Beltway Plaza & Greenbelt Center (in Old Greenbelt), which the former routes J2 & J4 didn't provide.[2]

1993 Changes

On December 11, 1993, route F6 was rerouted to New Carrollton station running alongside route F4.[3] The segment of F6's routing between Prince George's Plaza and University of Maryland College Park Campus remained mostly the same, but would be rerouted to divert to serve Prince George's Plaza station. Route F6 would then be rerouted to operate along Paint Branch Parkway, then using River Road to enter College Park–University of Maryland station, and then operating the rest of the way to New Carrollton station along River Road, Kenilworth Avenue, Good Luck Road, Auburn Avenue, Riverdale Road, Finns Lane, Harkins Road, and Ellin Road. Service between the University of Maryland College Park Campus & Greenbelt Center was replaced by extended route C2 being extended from Beltway Plaza to Greenbelt Center via Greenbelt station.[3]

1999 Changes

On September 12, 1999, route F6 was extended to Silver Spring station via West Hyattsville station. The route operated along Queens Chapel Road, Hamilton Street and Ager Road to serve West Hyattsville, then follow route F4's routing to Silver Spring along East-West Highway, Ethan Allen Avenue, and Philadelphia Avenue.[4]

2003 Changes

On May 15, 2003, the original bus bays inside Prince Georges Plaza mall, were demolished in order to build a new Target store. Routes F4 and F6 along with routes 86, C4, F8, R2, R3, R4 and TheBus 13, 14, 18 have stopped entering and looping inside around the mall.[5]

2008 Changes

On September 28, 2008, the former Silver Spring Bus Bay was closed and ultimately demolished so that the new Silver Spring Transit Center could be built. Since then, both routes F4 and F6 terminated at the temporary stop that WMATA placed right on top of the curb, located on the northbound side of the intersection of Wayne Avenue & Colesville Road.[6]

2010 Proposed Changes

During 2011, WMATA proposed to split the F4 and F6 routing into two routes. While the F4 remained the same, the F6 was proposed be rerouted to serve Fort Totten, keeping its routing between the New Carrollton station & intersection of East-West Highway & Riggs Road the same, except route F6 would be rerouted to operate on the Route R3 routing between the intersection of Riggs Road & East-West Highway & Fort Totten along East-West Highway, Riggs Road, Sargent Road.[7] This was proposed in order to reduce redundancy with F4 between Silver Spring station and the East West Highway and Riggs Road intersection.[8] The proposal was brought up again in 2012 with the same similarities.[9][10]

2012 Changes

In May 2012, WMATA announced route F6 will serve Fort Totten station beginning June 17, 2012. Route F6 service between New Carrollton and East West Highway & Riggs Road was the same, but was rerouted to turn from the East West Highway and Riggs Road intersection to replace route R3. The portion of F6's former routing between the intersection of East–West Highway & Riggs Road & the Silver Spring Metro station was completely replaced by route F4.[11]

2019 Changes

Beginning on September 1, 2019 for nine months, the College Park Metrobus loop was temporarily closed for construction of the Purple line at College Park station having all stops located along River Road. As of a result, route F6's bus stops were moved onto River Road in order to serve the station. There were no detours that affected route F6.[12]

2020 Changes

Beginning on April 20, 2020, parts of Calvert Road was closed due to the ongoing construction of the Purple line. Route F6 was temporarily rerouted to backtrack from College Park–University of Maryland station and to turn back onto Kenilworth Avenue and operate along East West Highway and Adelphi Road before resuming its regular route along Belcrest Road when operating to Fort Totten station. Service to New Carrollton station will follow the same path vice versa before resuming its regular route. Service to University of Maryland is temporarily replaced by the C2, C8, and J4 while service along Adelphi Road is temporarily replaced by the F8 in the meantime.[13] However the reroute has not operated due to the 2019-20 COVID-19 outbreak and Metro's reduced service since March 13.[14] Route F6 resumed service on August 24, 2020 running the detour along East West Highway and Adelphi Road.[15]

gollark: I'm not really a fan of holiday ones.
gollark: Does anyone have any tips for gathering cavey eggs, by the way? Other than "click fast", that is.
gollark: Ah, the irony of the eggs which could speed up hatchings being stuck hatching...
gollark: Weirdly enough, Balloons vanish quite fast, too.
gollark: Maybe as an option, though.

References
  1. Likowaki, Barbara (January 19, 1978). "Bus Route Changes to Affect Greenbelt" (PDF). Greenbelt News Review. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  2. "Bus Routes Change Sunday to Link with Orange Line". Washington Post. November 30, 1978. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  3. Pierre, Robert E. (December 9, 1993). "Metro Shuffling Its Bus Schedule". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  4. "Maryland and Virginia Metrobus Service Changes Effective September 20, 1999". Archived from the original on November 15, 1999. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  5. "Metrobus service suspended at Prince Georges Plaza". www.gazette.net. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  6. "Bus stops to be relocated during construction of Silver Spring Transit Center". Metro News Release. September 25, 2008.
  7. "MARYLAND PROPOSED BUS SERVICE CHANGES : FISCAL YEAR 2011" (PDF). Wmata.com\accessdate=27 January 2019.
  8. Bruce R. Gilson (August 15, 2012). "Response to "F4, F6 – Prince George's–Silver Spring Line"". Metro-Venture. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  9. "B11-03: Proposed Adjustments to Metrobus Service; October 11-13, 2011". Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  10. "Notice of Public Hearing Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Proposed Adjustments to Metrobus Service Docket B11-03" (PDF). Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  11. "Metro invests in 'better bus' service in DC, Maryland, Virginia" (Press release). WMATA. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  12. "Temporary Stop Relocation: MDOT MTA Purple Line Construction at College Park Station Bus Loop, September 1". Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  13. "MDOT MTA Purple Line Construction Project | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  14. "Metro Covid-19 Service | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  15. "Metrobus Service Changes beginning August 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
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