District Heights–Seat Pleasant Line

V14
District Heights-Seat Pleasant Line
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageLandover
LiveryLocal
StatusDiscontinued
Began serviceJanuary 4, 1981
Ended serviceJune 29, 2025
Route
LocaleNortheast, Prince George's County, Maryland
Communities servedDeanwood, Chapel Oaks, Fairmount Heights, Seat Pleasant, Carmody Hills, Pepper Mill Village, Capitol Heights, Coral Hills, Walker Mill, District Heights
StartDeanwood station
ViaWalker Mill Road, Hill Road, Seat Pleasant Drive, Central Avenue, Addison Road
EndPenn Mar Shopping Center
Length40-45 minutes
Other routesV15 (January 4, 1981 to March 27, 2016)
Service
LevelDaily
Frequency30 minutes (Weekday Peak-Hours)
60 minutes (All other times)
Operates5:20 AM - 10:06 PM (Weekdays)
6:05 AM - 10:05 PM (Weekends)
Ridership361,623 (FY 2024)[1]
TransfersSmarTrip only
TimetableDistrict Heights–Seat Pleasant Line
← V12  {{{system_nav}}}  W1 →

The District Heights–Seat Pleasant Line, designated Route V14, was a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the Deanwood station of the Orange and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro and Penn Mar Shopping Center in District Heights. The line operated every 20–30 minutes during the rush hour, 60 minutes during weekday middays, and 60 minutes on the weekends. V14 trips were roughly 40–45 minutes long.

Background

Route V14 operated daily between Deanwood station and Penn Mar Shopping Center. Select trips were also operated between Penn Mar Shopping Center and Addison Road station only. The route provided service inside multiple neighborhoods to various Metrorail stations.

Route V14 operated out of Landover division.

History

Routes V14 and V15 were created as brand new Metrobus Routes to provide alternative Metrobus service between the newly opened Addison Road station & Penn Mar Shopping Center on January 4, 1981, when the V12 was shortened to operate between Addison Road and Potomac Avenue stations only. The main difference was that the V14 and V15 would mostly operate along Addison Road, Central Avenue, Suffolk Avenue, Walker Mill Road and other various streets instead of operating straight along Pennsylvania Avenue. While V14 would be the primary Metrobus Route on the line that operate throughout most of the day, route V15 would only operate during the weekday peak-hours only.[2]

On December 11, 1993, both the V14 and V15 were extended north from Addison Road station, to operate to Deanwood station in order to replace the R12 former routing between Deanwood and Addison Road stations, via Central Avenue, Hill Road, Seat Pleasant Drive, Addison Road, and Minnesota Avenue NE. Main differences were that the V14 would operate straight on Hill Road between the intersections of Seat Pleasant Drive and Central Avenue while the V15 would divert from the intersection of Hill Road onto the intersection of Hastings Drive, then make turn onto the intersection of Pepper Mill Drive, before returning onto Central Avenue. The routing between Addison Road and Penn Marr Shopping Center mostly remained the same other than for a small segment in the Pepper Mill Village neighborhood that was altered. As a result of these changes, the line was renamed from the District Heights Line to the District Heights–Seat Pleasant Line.[3]

In 2015, WMATA proposed to eliminate route V15 and the segment along Pepper Mill Drive and Hastings Drive. Route V14 would add weekend service and run its full route on Sundays instead of terminating at Addison Road station.[4]

On March 27, 2016, route V15 was discontinued and replaced by the V14 which added weekend service. Route V14 also would operate the full route on Sundays between Deanwood station and Penn Mar Shopping Center instead of Addison Road station.[5]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the line was reduced to operate on its Saturday supplemental schedule beginning on March 16, 2020.[6] Beginning on March 18, 2020, the line was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule.[7] Weekend service was also suspended beginning on March 21, 2020.[8] The line its full schedule beginning on August 23, 2020.[9]

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched its Better Bus Redesign project, which aimed to redesign the entire Metrobus Network and is the first full redesign of the agency's bus network in its history.

In April 2023, WMATA launched its Draft Visionary Network. As part of the drafts, WMATA proposed to retain the V14, and it was renamed to Route MD259.[10]

During WMATA's Revised Draft Visionary Network, WMATA renamed the MD259 to Route P62 and kept the same routing, but the route was extended from Penn Marr Shopping Center to Branch Avenue station via a modified routing of the K12 via Pennsylvania Avenue, Forrestville Road, Allentown Road, and Auth Road.[11] All changes were then proposed during WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.[12][13]

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved its Better Bus Redesign Network.[14]

Beginning on June 29, 2025, Route V14 remained the same, but was also combined with the K12 and was extended from Penn Mar Shopping Center to Branch Avenue station, following the former K12's routing from Penn Marr Shopping Center. The line was renamed to the P62.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Metrobus FY2024 Annual Line Performance Report" (PDF). wmata.com. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  2. ^ "Bus Route Changes Start This Weekend". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  3. ^ Pierre, Robert E. (December 9, 1993). "METRO SHUFFLING ITS BUS SCHEDULE". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  4. ^ "V14,15 District Heights-Seat Pleasant Line" (PDF). www.wmata.com. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  5. ^ "Metrobus adds Sunday service to Greenbelt, extends Metroway as part of service changes effective March 27". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019.
  6. ^ "Metro announces additional COVID-19 changes, including reduced service beginning Monday | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "METRO SERVICE LEVELS & HOURS FURTHER REDUCED TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL TRIPS ONLY, STARTING WEDNESDAY | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  8. ^ "Weekend: Metro service limited to 26 bus routes, reduced rail service; expect wait times of 30 minutes; customers urged to travel only if essential | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "Metrobus Service Changes beginning August 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  10. ^ "Draft Visionary Maryland Routes" (PDF). Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  11. ^ "Revised Visionary Network Route Summary" (PDF). Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  12. ^ "Proposed 2025 Network Maryland Routes" (PDF). Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  13. ^ "Revised Visionary Network Route Summary" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Metro Board of Directors approves Better Bus Network Redesign, new bus routes to start next summer". WMATA. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  15. ^ "Maryland Route Profiles" (PDF). Retrieved July 29, 2025.
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