The nearly 7-mile-long bus lanes on Georgia Avenue, which were created when the Metro stations closed this summer, will remain in place at least until December as part of an expanded pilot project agreement, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced.

The lanes were created, according to WMATA, to streamline bus service following the temporary closure of several Metro Red Line stations in Montgomery County. The Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen and Silver Spring stations closed on June 1 and are scheduled to reopen on September 1. The Takoma Metro station closed on June 1 and reopened on June 30.

WMATA announced on February 9 that the five Metro stations would be temporarily closed over the summer. The closures were necessary to allow for construction at the stations and the construction of the Purple Line, a 16-mile light rail line that will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton when completed.

Due to the closures, free shuttle buses were provided between open and closed stations in cooperation with the state and county departments of transportation and the Washington, DC Department of Transportation.

In cooperation with the state and county transportation departments, seven miles of bus lanes have been created along Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Drivers are prohibited from using these lanes and face tickets and fines. The temporary lanes are in operation from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

According to a WMATA press release, local bus service was faster than ever this summer, despite additional ridership from shuttle buses between subway stations, while travel times for drivers remained the same.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said in a press release that the temporary bus lanes “represent a cost-effective project with a high impact on the communities it serves. Extending the pilot project through the end of the year will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the project and explore opportunities to speed up buses through additional targeted bus lane improvements in Maryland.”

According to WMATA’s press release, an average of more than 15,000 riders use Metrobus and Ride-On routes on Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road each day. Metro and county and state transportation departments will continue to evaluate the success of the bus lanes to determine if they help reduce congestion and speed up buses. In the fall, agencies will analyze the data and make changes to the lanes to make them more efficient, the press release said.

“Bus lanes throughout the region have increased reliability and reduced travel time for bus passengers,” said County Supervisor Marc Elrich in a press release. “We want to improve service for our existing riders – many of whom are low-income, have poor English skills or disabilities – and show potential new riders that bus can be an attractive transportation option.”

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