Improving bus service on 16th Street NW – one of the region’s busiest routes – has been under study for some time. Half of all travelers on 16th Street during rush hour ride the bus, yet buses are constantly overcrowded, delayed, and bunched together, making for an unpredictable and often-delayed ride.

From petition drives to public testimony to policy expertise, CSG and other community members have pushed to implement a dedicated rush hour bus lane for the last six years – and won! These bus lanes are currently under construction. Since we won the 16th Street campaign, DC has launched a Bus Priority Program to accelerate implementation of bus lanes and other improvements to make buses faster and more reliable.  For the most up to date information on the project’s progress, go to the DDOT project website here.

Resources

• CSG comments in support of Option 2.5
• The 16th Street NW Bus Lanes public information page
• Design phase – Design options under consideration by DDOT (July 2017)
• Read DDOT’s planning phase final report
• See DDOT’s preferred alternative from the January 2016 meeting
• Download the 16th Street bus lane fact sheet

Latest Happenings

Bus lanes coming to 16th Street, but it could cost you some parking

Jacob Korn | June 26, 2017

More parking restrictions could be coming to 16th Street NW as part of the ongoing changes to prepare the corridor for rush-hour transit lanes, expected by 2020. The D.C. Department of Transportation says it is moving to lengthen 22 bus zones along 16th Street to better accommodate articulated buses. In
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Transit advocate backs bus-only lane as traffic solution for D.C.’s busy 16th Street route

Winstina Hughes | March 19, 2015

A prominent advocacy group for smart growth and transit challenges the views that a letter-writer and I expressed about the future of bus service on one of the District’s busiest commuter routes. Sixteenth Street buses are squeezing out all the capacity they can under current conditions. There’s no more room
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D.C. is spending $1 million on another study of the 16th Street NW corridor

Claire Zippel | March 8, 2015

The new 16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study will look in detail at a 2.7-mile stretch from Arkansas Avenue south to H Street NW, a section an earlier study noted as optimal for a dedicated bus lane. DDOT will hold a public meeting March 31 to hear from residents, transit users and other stakeholders. Once this latest study is completed, some riders and public transit advocates say they expect the city to move from planning to action.
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16th Street bus lane fact sheet

acustis | May 8, 2014

How to get better bus service for 16th Street - Rush hour bus lanes - 16th Street NW buses are plagued by overcrowding and delays - A rush hour bus lane would greatly improve service - What would a rush hour bus lane on 16th street NW do? A dedicated bus lane operating during rush hour in the peak direction would keep buses from getting stuck in traffic. Buses in dedicated lanes would avoid traffic delays, move at increased speeds, and arrive on time. This means more reliable, regular service, and less overcrowding for riders.
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16th Street will get another bus upgrade, but only a dedicated lane will really fix it

Nick Ruiz | May 2, 2014

Metro has added more buses to the 16th Street "S" line, but ridership just keeps rising, the buses are crowded, and they're seriously bunching. A dedicated lane is the best solution, say WMATA planners, but in the meantime, they're going to add articulated (or "accordion") buses along the congested corridor.
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