New bus route will reconnect Shirlington to D.C. starting next week

A new bus route will offer Shirlington residents a direct connection to D.C. during rush hour.

The new A29 route will run between Van Dorn Street Station and Metro Center via the I-395 express lanes, with stops at Beauregard Street, Mark Center and Southern Towers in Alexandria in addition to the Shirlington Transit Center.

Buses will run every 24 minutes beginning Monday, Dec. 15, operating north to D.C. in the morning and south to Alexandria in the afternoon, according to a press release. To use transit to get to D.C., Shirlington residents currently must take a bus to the Pentagon City Metro station.

A direct bus route between Shirlington and D.C. previously existed but was discontinued a few years ago.

The new route is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s (NVTC) “Commuter Choice” grant program, which is supported by toll revenue collected on I-95/395.

When the NVTC considered the proposal in May, County Board member Matt de Ferranti told ARLnow that the new line would offer numerous benefits for Shirlington and the region as a whole.

“This service will encourage more people to choose public transportation, relieving traffic congestion on I-395 and improving access to employment, education, healthcare and other essential services,” he said.

Public comments on the proposal were generally positive, with many noting the benefits to commuters in Shirlington and Alexandria.

Various other Metrobus changes will go into effect beginning Sunday, Dec. 14. A list of changes in Virginia is below.

A11 Pentagon-Huntington
A12 Ballston-Hunting Point

• On weekends, new schedules will reflect coordinated service for customers who can use either route between Old Town Alexandria and Mt. Vernon Av + South Glebe Rd in Arlington.

A1X Pentagon City-Braddock Rd

• In Crystal City, southbound buses to Braddock Rd Station will operate via South Bell St and South Clark St. Service to South Clark St + 23 St South, stop 6000948, will be restored. The long-term detour via Richmond Highway will end.

A25 Pentagon-S Fairlington-Landmark

Frequency will improve to every 15 minutes from every 30 minutes in response to ridership.
This improvement is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s I-395/95 Commuter Choice grant program.

A29 Metro Center-Alexandria W (NEW!)

• Service will operate every 24 minutes during weekday rush hours, connecting Metro Center, Shirlington, Park Center, Southern Towers, Mark Center, North Beauregard St, West Alexandria Transit Center (former Landmark Mall), and Van Dorn St Station — a new transfer-free connection between downtown DC and Alexandria.
• Morning service will operate north to Metro Center and afternoon service will operate south to Van Dorn St.
• Route A29 is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s I-395/95 Commuter Choice grant program.

A40 Columbia Pike

• During the late-night route extension to DC, at L’Enfant Plaza, buses will begin and end at westbound D St + 6 St SW, stop 1003599.

A66 Pentagon-Shirlington-Culmore

• Buses will serve Pentagon City during weekday rush hours, westbound to Culmore in the morning and eastbound to Pentagon in the afternoon, expanding access to Pentagon City in the non-rush direction of travel and improving connections between Pentagon City and Shirlington for customers who can use Route A27 or A66.
• Weekday, midday and evening, and all weekend service will continue to serve Pentagon City.

F20 Leesburg Pike

• At West Falls Church, eastbound buses to King St-Old Town will serve Bay F and westbound buses to Tysons will serve Bay E to accommodate station construction and development.

F28 Kings Park W Express

An eastbound trip to the Pentagon will be added to the schedule, departing Kings Park West at 7:10 a.m. to reduce crowding.

Photo via Arlington County