Central Avenue Line (Maryland)

The Central Avenue Line, designated Route C21, C22, C26, C27, C29, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Addison Road station (C21, C22, C27, C29) or Largo Town Center station (C26) of the Blue and Silver lines of the Washington Metro, and East Kettering (C26), Pointer Ridge (C21, C22, C27, C29), Collington Center (C21, C22 weekday peak hour trips), or Bowie State University (C29, Sat. Only). The line operates every 30-35 minutes during the weekday peak-hours only and 60 minutes at all other times at a combined frequency of 15-30 minutes. Trips roughly take 30 minutes (C26, C27), 55 minutes (C21, Sunday C29 trips), 60 minutes (C22, C27), or 90 minutes (Saturday C29 trips).

C21, C22, C26, C27, C29
Central Avenue Line
Overview
System	Metrobus
Operator	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Garage	Landover
Livery	Local
Status	In Service
Route
Locale	Prince George's County, Maryland
Communities served	Bowie (C29 Sat. Only), Collington (C29 Sat. only) Mitchellville (C29 Sat. Only), Upper Marlboro, Kingsford, Kettering, Lake Arbor, Woodmore, Largo, Capitol Heights
Landmarks served	Bowie State University (C29, Sat. Only), Bowie Park & Ride Lot (C29, Sat. only), Bowie Town Center (C29, Sat. only), Bowie Health Center (C29, Sat. only), Collington Center (C21, C22 - AM & PM rush), Pointer Ridge (C21, C22, C27, C29), Six Flags America (C21, C22, C27, C29), East Kettering (C26, C29), West Kettering (C21, C22, C29), Lake Arbor (C26), Prince George's Community College, Largo Town Center station, Addison Road station (C21, C22, C27, C29)
Start	Addison Road station (C21, C22, C27, C29) Largo Town Center station (C26)
Via	Central Avenue
End	East Kettering (C26) Pointer Ridge (C21, C22, C27, C29) Collington Center (C21, C22, weekday peak hour) Bowie State University (C29, Sat. Only)
Length	30 minutes (C26, C27) 55 minutes (C21, Sunday C29 trips) 60 minutes (C22, C27) 90 minutes (Saturday C29 trips)
Service
Level	Daily
Frequency	30-35 Minutes (Weekday Peak Hours) 60 Minutes (All other times)
Operates	4:46 AM - 10:20 PM (Weekdays) 6:43 AM - 7:30 PM (Saturdays) 7:44 AM - 7:30 PM (Sundays) 8:05 AM - 9:35 PM (Summer seasons only)
Timetable	Central Avenue Line Central Avenue Line Supplemental Service
Route map ← C28  {{{system_nav}}}  D1 → C27 only operates between Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend yearly. Regular bus service is provided by routes C21, C22, C26, and C29. C29 only operates to Bowie State University on Saturdays only.

Route Description and Service

Routes C21, C22, C26, C27 and C29 operate in central Prince George's County, Maryland connecting riders between Kettering, Six Flags America, and Pointer Ridge to the Washington Metro. Route C21 operates during the weekday peak hours in the peak direction, routes C22 and C26 operate weekdays only, route C27 only operates between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend yearly, and route C29 operates during the weekends only. Route C29 is a combination of routes C22 and C26, and is extended to Bowie State University on Saturdays only while operating up to Pointer Ridge on Sundays.

Routes C21, C22, C27, and C29 begin at Addison Road station and follow Central Avenue before turning onto Brightseat Road, Arena Drive, Lottsford Road, Apollo Drive, and Largo Center Drive serving Largo Town Center station, where it meets with route C26. The line then runs along Largo Drive South before turning onto Harry S Truman Drive. Routes C21, C22, and C29 turn along Prince Place with route C21 turning left on Campus Way South and route C22 turning right. Route C21 then turns right onto Largo Road, then left onto Kettering Drive. Routes C22 and C29 turn back onto Harry S Truman Drive before turning onto Mount Lubentia Way, then Largo Road before following the C21 onto Kettering Drive.

Routes C26 and C27 do not turn onto Prince Place and instead turn directly onto Campus Way South. Route C27 then turns back onto Central Avenue while route C26 continues along Campus Way North until turning onto Lake Arbor Way, then onto Kettering Drive. All five routes then meet up along the intersection of Central Avenue and Kettering Drive operating parallel to each other. Routes C26 and C29 then turn onto Watkins Park Drive and operate a loop along Cambleton Drive, Whiteholm Drive, and Keverton Drive before resuming their route along Watkins Park Drive. Route C26 terminates here, while route C29 continues to Pointer Ridge.

Routes C21, C22, C27, and C29 continue along Central Avenue passing Six Flags America; off-peak C22, C27, and Sunday C29 trips terminate at Pointer Ridge along Central Avenue and Hall Road before running along Hall Road and Devonwood Drive, going back to Addison Road station. Route C21 and rush hour C22 trips continue along Central Avenue before turning onto Crain Highway and serving Collington Center via Prince George's Boulevard, Commerce Drive, and Trade Zone Avenue. The two routes then operate vice versa back to Addison Road.

Saturday C29 trips run along Pointer Ridge Drive, Pittsfield Lane, Mitchellville Road, Peach Walker Drive, Mount Oak Drive, Nottinghill Drive, and Northview Drive, then turn and loop along Health Center Drive serving Bowie Health Center. The route then continues along Collington Road and Laurel Bowie Road before reaching Bowie State University. The route then operates vice versa back to Addison Road station.

Routes C21, C22, C26, C27, and C29 currently operate out of Landover division.

History

Service in Central Prince George's County, Maryland was originally operated by various Metrobus lines until the 1990s. These lines connected Capitol Heights, Maryland to Downtown DC and Central Prince Georges County. But the routes were slowly eliminated and replaced by Metrorail after 1978.[1]

Eventually, three lines were created to operate into Central Prince Georges County. The Pointer Ridge–Addison Road Line (C21, C22, C29), Kingsford–Addison Road Line (C21, C22, C29), Kingsford–Addison Road Line (C23, C24, C25, and C26), and Pointer Ridge Line (C28). These lines would connect Addison Road station (C21, C22, C23, C24, C25, C26, C29) and New Carrollton station (C28) to East Kettering, Pointer Ridge (C21, C22, C29), Collington Center (C21, C22), and Bowie Town Center (C29).[2] Route C29 would operate on the C28 routing on Saturday between Bowie Town Center and Pointer Ridge plus operate on a combination of the C22 and C26 routing.

Eventually prior to 1998, both the Central Avenue Line and Kingsford–Addison Road Line would merge into a single route. Routes C25 and C26 joined the C21, C22, and C29 while routes C23 and C24 were eliminated. The C25 and C26 routing remained the same during the merger of the routes. The line was renamed into the Central Avenue Line as a result. There was no Sunday service on any of the routes.

1999 Changes

On September 20, 1999, route C26 buses going to Addison Road station in the morning was changed to operate westbound on Lake Arbor Way and turn south into Campus Way North. In the afternoon, buses going to East Kettering was also changed to operate north on Campus Way North and turn right into Lake Arbor Way.[3]

2004 Changes

On December 18, 2004 when the Blue Line extension to Largo Town Center station opened, routes C21, C22, C26, and C29 was rerouted to serve the new station. Route C25 was eliminated while route C26 was shorten to terminate at Largo Town Center and would operate on Lake Arbor Way. From Largo, C21, C22, and C29 buses will run via Largo Drive West, Largo Center and Apollo Drives, Lottsford Road, Arena Drive and Brightseat Road to Central Avenue and Addison Road station. C21 and C22 buses also would serve Centre Pointe Office Park on Brightseat Road. Service to Hampton Towne Centre would be eliminated.[4]

New Sunday service was also added to route C29 but only operating between Pointer Ridge and Addison Road station as a combination to routes C22 and C26.[4]

2005 Changes

On May 28, 2005, a new route C27 was introduced to operate during the summer seasons between Addison Road station and Pointer Ridge via Largo Town Center station under a similar routing to the C25.[5] Initially, the line would only operate on Saturdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, but have since expanded to daily summer service.

2006 Changes

On March 18, 2006, route C29 was extended to serve Bowie State University from the intersection of Northview Drive and Collington Road. The current C29 routing via the Bowie Park & Ride lot and South Belair to Belair Center was discontinued due to low ridership. This routing was a combination of routes B21, B22, B24, B25, B27, B29, and B31, during the weekends except serving Addison Road station instead of New Carrollton station.[6]

2018 Changes

On February 23, 2018, routes C22 and C29 discontinued service along Harry S. Truman Drive south of Mount Lubentia Way due to a long-term construction project. Stops along Harry S. Truman Drive near Mount Lubentia Way, New Orchard Drive, Woodlawn Boulevard, and Birdie Lane will not be served. Customers may board buses at stops along Mount Lubentia Way near Harry S. Truman Drive. All route C22 and C29 skip the loop and instead turn left onto Mount Lubentia Way. Alternative service is provided by TheBus.[7][8]

2020 Changes

In May 2020, WMATA announced that route C27 will not operate during for the 2020 summer season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Metro's reduced service since March 16, 2020. Alternative service would be provided by routes C29.[9]

2020 Proposed changes

On September 10, 2020 as part of WMATA's FY2022 budget, WMATA proposed to eliminate the C29 segment between Pointer Ridge and Bowie State University on Saturday. This was due to low federal funds and proposing to eliminate all route C28 service.[10][11][12]

References

1. Feaver, Douglas (November 30, 1978). "Bus Routes Change Sunday to Link With Orange Line". Washington Post. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
2. Pierre, Robert E. (December 9, 1993). "Metro Shuffling Its Bus Schedule". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
3. "Maryland and Virginia Metrobus Service Changes Effective September 20, 1999". Archived from the original on November 15, 1999. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
4. "Metrobus service changes, effective Saturday, Dec. 18, 2004". December 18, 2004. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
5. "Metrobus C27 will serve Six Flags America amusement park". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
6. "Metrobus 89, 89M and Saturday C29 changes begin mid-March". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
7. "Metrobus Service Changes, March 25, 2018 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
8. "Route Change: Harry S Truman Dr btwn Mt Lubentia Way and New Orchard Dr, Feb 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
9. "Route Cancelled: The C27 Will Not Be in Service This Summer | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
10. "Proposed Service Adjustments by Jurisdiction" (PDF). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
11. "MARYLAND Proposed Metrobus Service Changes" (PDF). Retrieved 9 September 2020.
12. "FY2021 Budget Update; FY2022 Budget Outlook and Approval for Public Hearing for FY21 Budget Amendment" (PDF). Retrieved 9 September 2020.