North Capitol Street Line

The North Capitol Street Line, designated as Route D30 is a daily bus route that is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Fort Totten station of the Red, Green and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro and Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington, D.C., with late night and early morning trips extending to L'Enfant Plaza station which is served by the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at night.

Background Route D30 operates between Fort Totten station and Federal Triangle with late night and early morning trips extending to L'Enfant Plaza station providing service along North Capitol Street. The route was one of the most popular routes, with having 4,594 average weekday ridership in 2023. Route D30 operates out of Bladensburg division.

Route D30 stops

Bus stopDirectionConnectionsFort TottenBus Bay ESouthbound stop Metrobus: C71, C77, C81, D44, M60, M6X, P15, P16, P32, P35 Washington Metro: Fort TottenAlighting OnlyNorthbound terminal Metrobus: C71, C77, C81, D44, M60, M6X, P15, P16, P32, P35 Washington Metro: Galloway Street NE / 4th Street NESouthbound Metrobus: C81 (Westbound only), P32, P35Galloway Street NE / South Dakota Avenue NENorthbound Metrobus: C81 (Westbound only), P32, P35South Dakota Avenue NE / Farragut Place NEBidirectional Metrobus: P32, P35South Dakota Avenue NE / Delafield Street NESouthboundSouth Dakota Avenue NE / Emerson Street NENorthboundSouth Dakota Avenue NE / Decatur Street NEBidirectional12th Street NE / Buchanan Street NESouthbound12th Street NE / Allison Street NENorthbound12th Street NE / Varnum Street NEBidirectional12th Street NE / Taylor Street NEBidirectional12th Street NE / Michigan Avenue NEBidirectional Metrobus: P3312th Street NE / Quincy Street NEBidirectional12th Street NE / Perry Street NEBidirectional12th Street NE / Newton Street NENorthbound Metrobus: C63, D34, D7412th Street NE / Monroe Street NESouthbound Metrobus: C63, D34, D74BrooklandBus Bays D & JBidirectional Metrobus: C61, C63, D34, D74, P33 CUA Shuttle: Blue, Green Washington Metro: ACHS Shuttle: Brookland Metro Metropolitan Branch TrailMonroe Street NE / 7th Street NEBidirectional Metrobus: C61, C63, D34Michigan Avenue NE / Gibbons Hall Catholic University of AmericaSouthbound Metrobus: C61, C63Michigan Avenue NE / 4th Street NENorthbound Metrobus: C61, C63Michigan Avenue NE / Irving Street NEBidirectional Metrobus: C61, C63Michigan Avenue NE / Franklin Street NEBidirectional Metrobus: C61, C63Michigan Avenue NE / North Capitol Street NENorthbound Metrobus: C61, C63, D36North Capitol Street NW / Girard Street NESouthbound Metrobus: C61, C63, D36North Capitol Street NE / Evarts Street NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / Douglas Street NESouthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / Channing Street NWSouthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / Channing Street NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / Bryant Street NWSouthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / Bryant Street NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / Adams Street NWSouthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / W Street NWSouthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / V Street NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / V Street NWSouthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / Rhode Island Avenue NENorthbound Metrobus: D32North Capitol Street NW / Rhode Island Avenue NWSouthbound Metrobus: D32North Capitol Street NE / T Street NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / Randolph Place NWSouthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / Randolph Place NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / Florida Avenue NENorthbound Metrobus: C53, C57North Capitol Street NW / Bates Street NWSouthbound Metrobus: C53, C57North Capitol Street NE / P Street NE/NWNorthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / N Street NENorthboundNorth Capitol Street NW / M Street NE/NWNorthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / Pierce Street NESouthboundNorth Capitol Street NE / K Street NENorthbound Metrobus: C71, D36North Capitol Street NW / K Street NWSouthbound Metrobus: C71, D36North Capitol Street NE / I Street NENorthbound Metrobus: C71North Capitol Street NW / H Street NWSouthbound Metrobus: C71, D20, D2XNorth Capitol Street NE / H Street NENorthbound Metrobus: C71, D20, D2XNorth Capitol Street NE / Massachusetts Avenue NEUnion StationNorthbound Amtrak, VRE, MARC (at Union Station) Metrobus: C43, C51, C55, C71, D20, D24, D2X, D80 Washington Metro: MTA Maryland Bus: 903, 922 Loudoun County Transit PRTC OmniRideNorth Capitol Street NW / Massachusetts Avenue NWUnion StationSouthbound Amtrak, VRE, MARC (at Union Station) Metrobus: C43, C51, C55, C71, D20, D24, D2X, D80 Washington Metro: MTA Maryland Bus: 903, 922 Loudoun County Transit PRTC OmniRideNorth Capitol Street NE / E Street NE/NWNorthbound Metrobus: C43, C51, C55, C71, D24, D80E Street NW / New Jersey Avenue NWBidirectional Metrobus: D24E Street NW / 1st Street NWSouthbound Metrobus: D24E Street NW / 2nd Street NWNorthbound Metrobus: D24E Street NW / 4th Street NWJudiciary SquareBidirectional Metrobus: D24 Washington Metro: E Street NW / 6th Street NWBidirectional Metrobus: D24E Street NW / 7th Street NWBidirectional Metrobus: D20, D24, D2X, D34, D36, D40, D4X Washington Metro: at Gallery PlaceE Street NW / 8th Street NWNorthbound Metrobus: D24, D2X, D94E Street NW / 9th Street NWSouthbound Metrobus: D24, D2X, D94E Street NW / 11th Street NWMetro CenterNorthbound Metrobus: D32, D34, D44, D5X, D60, D6X, D94 Washington Metro: 10th Street NW / Pennsylvania Avenue NWFederal TriangleNorthbound stop,Southbound terminalSouthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: D10, D1X, D32, D44, D60, D6X Washington Metro: at Federal Triangle12th Street NW / Constitution Avenue NWFederal TriangleNorthbound Metrobus: D10, D1X, D32, D44, D60, D6X Washington Metro: Constitution Avenue NW / 9th Street NWNorthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: D1X, D32, D607th Street SW / Independence Avenue SWSouthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: D1X, D40, D607th Street SW / Jefferson Drive SWNorthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: D1X, D40, D607th Street SW / C Street SWL'Enfant PlazaSouthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: D40, D60 Washington Metro: 7th Street SW / Maryland Avenue SWL'Enfant PlazaNorthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: D40, D60 Washington Metro: E Street SW / 7th Street SWNorthbound (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: A40, C11, C55, D40, D50, D60D Street SW / 7th Street SWL'Enfant PlazaNorthbound stop,Southbound terminal (Late night & early morning only) Metrobus: A40, C11, C55, D40, D50, D60 Washington Metro:

History

Before WMATA implemented the Better Bus Redesign network, Route D30 was previously known as Route 80. Route 80 began service in 1872 as the North Capitol Street and College Park Line as a horsecar service.

The line was a mix of its current and the College Park Line, Operated along North Capitol Street and in College Park, Maryland via Brentwood.

After electric streetcars operated by the Metropolitan Railroad took over the city, the line was acquired in 1902 by the Washington Railway and Electric Company, which merged to become the Capital Traction Company in the 1930s, and operated as DC Transit after 1956. Just two years later on September 7, 1958, Routes 80 and 82 were abandoned, the first streetcar lines to be abandoned.

After DC Streetcars, Route 80 service on the North Capitol Street Streetcar Line, alongside 81 between Brookland & Potomac Park. it was later extended to Riggs Road NE, via 12th Street NE and South Dakota Avenue NE during the early 1970s although both routes were eventually truncated to the Fort Totten Metro Station on February 19, 1978, shortly after it opened.

Route 81 operated as a part of the Line until 1996/1997 when it became a part of the College Park Line, operating between Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood station and Cherry Hill via Greenbelt station.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the line was reduced to operate on its Saturday supplemental schedule beginning on March 16, 2020. However beginning on March 18, 2020, the line was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule. Weekend service was also suspended beginning on March 21, 2020. The line restored its full schedule beginning on August 23, 2020.

In February 2021 during WMATA's FY2022 budget crisis, WMATA proposed to cutback the 80 from the Kennedy Center to McPherson Square station and add late-night service to 2:00 AM between July and December 2021 in the first half of the fiscal year. In the second half of the fiscal year between January to June 2022, WMATA proposed to reroute the 80 to terminate at Federal Triangle station, from the intersection of North Capitol Street NW & Massachusetts Avenue NW to operate over E Street and 10th Street to partially replace the D6. Service after midnight would also be eliminated Subsequently on April 22, 2021, WMATA approved the FY2022 budget and received federal funding to avoid service changes.

On June 6, 2021, late-night service was increased to operate up to 2:00 AM.

On June 10, 2021, WMATA proposed to increase the 80 to operate every 12 minutes daily between 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily as part of WMATA's Pandemic Recovery Plan. However the proposed cutback from The Kennedy Center to McPherson Square station was brought back. Service to Kennedy Center would be replaced by Routes 42 and 43.

On September 5, 2021, the line was shorten to operate up to McPherson Square station and service to Kennedy Center was replaced by routes 42 and 43. Service was also increased to operate every 12 minutes daily.

Due to rising cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the line was reduced to its Saturday service on weekdays with Route 31 being suspended. Full weekday service and all Route 31 service resumed on February 7, 2022.

Early morning and late night service was extended to Foggy Bottom station on June 25, 2023.

As of December 17, 2023, the route now operates 24/7.

In WMATA's FY2025, they proposed terminating Route 80 at Washington Union Station instead of McPherson Square, eliminating service on service along H Street, I Street, K Street, 15th Street, 13th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Massachusetts Avenue. It was also proposed Route 80 would be moved into the 20-minute Frequent Service Network, rather than the 12-minute Frequent Service Network from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week. However on April 25, 2024, Metro’s Board of Directors approved a $4.8 billion capital and operating budget which avoided the service changes.

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 keep the 80 mostly the same, renaming it to Route DC110, except the route would travel along E Street NW instead of H Street NW.

During WMATA's Revised Draft Visionary Network, WMATA renamed the DC110 to Route D30 and originally kept the routing the same. However the route was then rerouted to serve Federal Triangle station via 12th Street NW and 10th Street NW. Late night service would then be extended to L'Enfant Plaza station via Constitution Avenue NW and 7th Street NW. All changes were then proposed during WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.

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

Beginning on June 29, 2025, Route 80 was mostly kept the same, but it was modified to operate along E Street NW and terminate at Federal Triangle instead of McPherson Square. Late night service was extended to L'Enfant Plaza station. The line was renamed into the D30.

References