(Washington, DC) Mayor Adrian M Fenty, along with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette and Gabe Klein, the Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), today joined community and business leaders to launch a new DC Circulator route (see below) with service between the Dupont Circle and Rosslyn Metro Stations.

“We welcome this new route to the Circulator family today and its extension to our regional neighbors,” said Mayor Fenty, “and we look forward to expanding this extremely convenient, comfortable and affordable service to more District neighborhoods next year.”

Building off the existing Georgetown Metro Connection route (also known as the “Blue Bus”),which already boasts nearly 40,000 riders a month, the Dupont Circle – Georgetown – Rosslyn Circulator line will begin service on Sunday, August 29. The new DC Circulator line will operate from 7 am to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from 7 am to 2 am Friday and Saturday.

“The ridership and demand for this route is already here and we already subsidize it, so it made sense to make it part of the Circulator system,” said Director Klein. We are looking at multiple locations throughout the city for expanding the system and look forward to launching additional routes in 2011.”

“The Rosslyn Metro Station has the highest number of entries and exits in Northern Virginia per day at over 36,000 on average and is among the top 10 stations in the Metrorail System,” said Board Chair Fisette. “Since the ‘Blue Bus’ started, more than four million riders have used the service connecting Arlington with Washington. The Circulator’s takeover of the route is a testament to the successful partnership formed in 2001 between the Rosslyn and Georgetown Business Improvement Districts and the DC and Arlington Government to launch the route.”

DDOT is currently conducting a comprehensive study to guide the expansion of the Circulator system over the next five to ten years. That includes an ongoing collaboration with neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River to determine the best route for a new line in this location. This planning effort will be completed this fall.

DDOT anticipates the route with service east of the Anacostia River to garner much demand and has already directed First Transit, which operates the DC Circulator, to purchase buses for the new line in preparation for starting service next year.
Since the launch of its first routes in July 2005, the Circulator has carried more than 14.5 million passengers. In just the last 12 months alone, the Circulator has carried 4.6 million riders, making it the 4th largest bus system in the region in terms of number of passengers. This is the first regional route for the system promoting transit as an alternative to driving. The DC Circulator will be joined by another regional sustainable transportation system when the highly anticipated Capital Bikeshare program launches in late September.

Known for its convenient 10-minute headways, the Circulator remains "a buck a ride" with additional discounts for seniors and DC students (elementary and high school).

Other Circulator Service Changes

DDOT is also making some small system changes to other Circulator routes beginning Sunday, August 29, based on passenger requests.  These include:

• Union Station – Georgetown service will now enter Georgetown on lower K Street, serve the Wisconsin Avenue corridor, and exit Georgetown on M Street heading toward Union Station.
• Union Station – Navy Yard service will be streamlined near Columbus Circle in front of Union Station, providing a faster trip and allowing passengers to transfer between the Georgetown route and Navy Yard route on Massachusetts Avenue. Stops will also be added on Seward Square (Pennsylvania Avenue at 5^th Street SE) on Capitol Hill.
• Woodley Park/Adams Morgan – McPherson Square service will avoid southbound traffic delays by exiting Thomas Circle at Massachusetts Avenue and traveling toward Franklin Square on 13^th Street. A new stop will be added on 13^th Street at K Street.
• Late night service on Georgetown – 17^th and K Route will be extended to 14^th and K, allowing passengers to transfer between lines at Franklin Square and McPherson Square Metro.

For more information about all of the Circulator routes please visit www.DCCirculator.com.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) owns and operates the Circulator.  DC Surface Transit Inc. (DCST) oversees Circulator marketing. DCST is a nonprofit comprised of the Downtown, Capitol Hill, Capitol Riverfront, Adams Morgan, Golden Triangle and Georgetown Business Improvement Districts; Destination DC; the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Authority; DDOT; and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).