Chillum Road-New Carrollton Line

Bus route in Washington, D.C., United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Chillum Road-New Carrollton Line, designated Route P42, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the New Carrollton station of the Orange and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro and Takoma station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 20-30 during the weekdays and 30 minutes during the weekends. Route P42 trips roughly takes 70 minutes to complete.

SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageLandover
LiveryLocal
Quick facts P42, Overview ...
P42
Chillum Road-New Carrollton Line
Route P42 at New Carrollton station
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageLandover
LiveryLocal
StatusActive
Began service1950s-1960s
Predecessors84, 85, T14
Route
LocalePrince George's County, Northeast, Northwest
Communities servedNew Carrollton, Riverdale Park, Edmonston, Bladensburg, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Fort Lincoln, Mount Rainier, Hyattsville, Avondale, Chillum, Takoma Park, Takoma
Landmarks servedEast Pines, Riverdale Park, Edmonston, Bladensburg, Peace Cross, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Fort Lincoln, The Shops at Dakota Crossing, Avondale, Chillum
StartNew Carrollton station
ViaEastern Avenue, Chillum Road, Bladensburg Road, Annapolis Road, Edmonston Road, Kenilworth Avenue, Good Luck Road
EndTakoma station
Service
LevelDaily
Frequency20-30 minutes
Weekend frequency30 minutes
Operates5:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Ridership545,955 (FY 2025)[1]
TransfersSmarTrip only
← P41  {{{system_nav}}}  P60 →
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Background

Route P42 operates daily between New Carrollton station and Takoma station primarily running into neighborhoods. Route P42 operates out of Landover division.

Route P42 stops

More information Bus stop, Direction ...
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History

Route T14 was originally named the Bowie-Belair Line and operated alongside the former route T12 Route between Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood station and Bowie State University, between March 27, 1976, when both routes were created as brand new Metrobus Routes. Then on December 3, 1978, when New Carrollton station opened, both routes T12 & T14 were truncated to only operate between New Carrollton station & Bowie State University. In the early 1990s, the line was discontinued and replaced by routes B24, B25, and B27.

Routes 84 and 85 operated alongside much of exactly the same routing, even when both routes were still streetcar routes that had yet to become Metrobus routes with route 84 operating daily and route 85 operating peak hours only. Routes 84 and 85 originally operated all the way between West Potomac Park & the Eastpine Shopping Center in Riverdale mostly operating via, Riverdale Road, Kenilworth Avenue, Edmonston Road, Annapolis Road, Bladensburg Road, and North Capitol Street, to Downtown Washington D.C. as streetcar routes and the first few years of being Metrobus routes in 1973.

Former Route 84 running to New Carrollton Station in 2014

On March 27, 1976, routes 84 & 85 were rerouted to make a turn from Rhode Island Avenue, onto the intersection of Washington Place to enter and serve the newly opened Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station. Routes 84 & 85 would then loop back onto Washington Place and then make a turn to get back onto Rhode Island Avenue and follow the rest of their routing along with routes 82, 83, & 86, the rest of the way from the Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station all the way up to West Potomac Park via Downtown Washington D.C. The routes would also serve Rhode Island when going Southbound.

On September 21, 1978, routes 82, 83, 86, 84, 85 were shorten to terminate at Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station only due to it being cost effective and duplicate to both the Red Line and other Metrobus routes. Passengers would have to transfer to either another Metrobus route or the Red Line to travel the rest of the way to Downtown Washington D.C. or West Potomac Park from Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station.

On November 21, 1978, when New Carrollton station opened, routes 84 & 85 were extended from their terminus at Eastpine Shopping Center, to New Carrollton station via Riverdale Road, Auburn Avenue, Good Luck Road, Lamont Drive, Carrollton Parkway, 85th Place, Powhatan Street, Westbrook Drive, 85th Avenue, West Lanham Drive, and Ellin Road. While route 84 would be the main route that operated seven days a week between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station & New Carrollton, route 85 would operate during weekday peak hours that would only allow passengers to board in Washington D.C. and alight in Maryland. Route 84 would still serve the Eastpine Shopping Center terminal while route 85 will bypass the terminal inside the shopping center.[2][3]

On December 30, 2007, route 85 was discontinued and replaced it with modified route 84 trips which would have the same restrictions as the route 85 trips, while allowing passengers to board in Washington D.C. and alight in Maryland. During that same time, route 84's diversion into the Eastpine Shopping Center was removed and route 84 was rerouted to follow 85's routing straight along Riverdale Road through the Eastpine Shopping Center.[4]

Former Route T14 at New Carrollton station in January 2025

On December 14, 2014, route 84 was renamed Route T14 keeping the same routing and discontinuing the 84 designation. WMATA also began a new limited-stop segment along Rhode Island Avenue between Mount Rainier terminal and Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood station along with route T18. The limited stop segment was to reduce bus bunching along Rhode Island Avenue and improve on time performance for routes T14 and T18.[5] Buses would only serve the following stops:

  • Rhode Island Ave & 12th St NE
  • Rhode Island Ave & Montana Ave NE (eastbound)/14th St NE (westbound)
  • Rhode Island Ave & 18th St NE
  • Rhode Island Ave & South Dakota Ave NE (eastbound)/24th St NE (westbound)
  • Rhode Island Ave & Newton St NE

Passengers wishing for local service will have to use routes 83 or 86.[5]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the route was relegated to operate on its Saturday supplemental schedule beginning on March 16, 2020.[6] However, beginning on March 18, 2020, the route was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule.[7] Also beginning on March 21, 2020, all weekend service was suspended.[8] On August 23, 2020, route T14 was restored to its regular weekday schedule but with a reduced Saturday schedule and all Sunday schedule suspended.[9]

On September 26, 2020, WMATA proposed to eliminate all route T14 Sunday service due to low federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] However, on March 14, 2021, route T14 Sunday service was restored.[11]

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 shorten the T14 to terminate at Mount Rainier Terminal, and it was named Route MD252 in the drafts. Service to Rhode Island Avenue station would be covered by other Metrobus routes.[12]

During WMATA's Revised Draft Visionary Network, WMATA renamed the MD252 to Route P42 and the route was changed to operate to Takoma station via the current F1 routing (and proposed MD342 routing) along Chillum Road, La Salle Road, Eastern Avenue NE, Fort Lincoln Drive NE, Joshua Barney Drive NE, Colmar Manor, and Fort Lincoln. Service along 38th Street and Rhode Island Avenue was taken over by Route T18 (renamed to Route P40). The current T14 routing between New Carrollton station and the intersection of Bladensburg Road & 38th Street remained the same.[13] The change was then proposed during WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.[14][15][16]

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved its Better Bus Redesign Network.[17]

Beginning on June 29, 2025, Route T14 was modified to serve Takoma station via Chillum Road and Fort Lincoln, then follow the current routing between Bladensburg Road and New Carrollton. The line was also renamed to Route P42. This also partially reincarnates the former Route B9 routing between Colmar Manor and Fort Lincoln.[18]

References

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