Metro’s Board of Directors will consider piloting a new Metrobus route connecting National Harbor, MD, with Virginia, across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge during its Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, June 9.
The proposed NH2 bus service would operate seven days a week and connect Huntington and King Street Metrorail stations in Virginia with the Oxon Hill Park-and-Ride, MGM Casino and downtown National Harbor in Maryland. If approved, the pilot service would be operated from October 2016 to June 2017.
The 9-month pilot program will allow Metro to evaluate ridership demand, conduct customer surveys and complete an FTA-required Title VI equity analysis. If the route is successful and the Board approves permanent adoption of the service, the NH2 would be incorporated as a regular regional route in the FY2018 budget.
Prince George's County, the Maryland Department of Transportation, the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County have already expressed support for the establishment of the bus service. Additionally, National Harbor developer The Peterson Companies has proposed an annual contribution to offset Metro's operating costs.
Metro staff will seek approval to operate the cross-Potomac bus connection in each direction every 30 minutes, from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. The projected annual operating cost of the service is approximately $2.9 million.
