The New Carrollton–Silver Spring Line, designated as Route P30, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between New Carrollton station of the Orange and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro and Silver Spring station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 12 minutes between 7AM and 9PM, and 30–60 minutes after 9PM. P30 trips are roughly 65 minutes long. The line provides service on the East-West Highway corridor from the eastern portion of Prince George's County to Montgomery County.
Background Route P30 operates daily between New Carrollton station and Silver Spring station connecting both Prince George's County to Montgomery County via the East-West Highway corridor. The route is one of the busiest Metrobus routes within Maryland.
Route P30 begins at New Carrollton and travels via Ellin Road, Harkins Road, and Annapolis Road. The route then turns along Riverdale Road traveling along it before westbound trips turned from Riverdale Road onto Lafayette Avenue, then turns onto Queensbury Road, while eastbound trips turned from Queensbury Road onto 48th Avenue, before turning onto Riverdale Road, buses remain along Queensbury Road, operating until reaching Belcrest Road. The route then turns into Hyattsville Crossing station serving the station before turning back along East-West Highway. The route then operates along East-West Highway, then enters Montgomery County by operating along Ethan Allen Avenue. The route then turns along Philadelphia Avenue until it merges into Fenton Street. The route then turns onto Colesville Road, then on Georgia Avenue, and then onto Wayne Avenue to serve the second level of the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center.
Route P30 operates out of Landover division.
P30 stops
Bus stopDirectionConnectionsPrince George's County, MarylandNew CarrolltonBus Bay HWestbound station,Eastbound terminal Metrobus: P20, P21, P24, P31, P35, P40, P42, P60, P61 MTA Maryland Commuter Bus TheBus: P22, P2X, P23, P44, P52, P5X, P71 Shuttle-UM Greyhound Peter Pan Bus Lines Washington Metro: MARC: Penn Line Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Vermonter MTA: Purple Line (Planned)Harkins Road / Ellin RoadBidirectional Metrobus: P20, P21, P24, P31, P35, P40 TheBus: P22Harkins Road / West Lanham DriveBidirectional Metrobus: P20, P21, P24, P31, P35, P40 TheBus: P22Harkins Road / Annapolis RoadBidirectional Metrobus: P20, P21, P24, P31, P35, P40 TheBus: P22, P2XAnnapolis Road / West Lanham DriveBidirectional Metrobus: P20, P21, P24Annapolis Road / #7990Bidirectional Metrobus: P20, P21, P24Annapolis Road / Riverdale RoadEastbound Metrobus: P20, P21, P24Riverdale Road / Carrollton MallWestbound TheBus: P22 Shuttle-UM (Eastbound only)Riverdale Road / Heritage Square ApartmentsBidirectional TheBus: P22 Shuttle-UM (Eastbound only)Riverdale Road / Fontainebleau DriveEastbound TheBus: P22 Shuttle-UMRiverdale Road / Mahoney DriveWestbound TheBus: P22Riverdale Road / #7620Eastbound TheBus: P22 Shuttle-UM (Eastbound only)Riverdale Road / #7613Westbound TheBus: P22 Shuttle-UM (Eastbound only)Riverdale Road / Lamont DriveBidirectional TheBus: P22 Shuttle-UMRiverdale Road / Finns LaneBidirectional Metrobus: P31, P35Riverdale Road / Martins LaneBidirectional Metrobus: P31, P35Riverdale Road / Chestridge ApartmentsWestbound Metrobus: P31, P35Riverdale Road / Auburn AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: P31, P35, P42Riverdale Road / Auburn AvenueWestbound Metrobus: P31, P42Riverdale Road / 67th PlaceWestbound Metrobus: P31, P42Riverdale Road / 67th AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: P31, P42 MTA: Purple Line (at Beacon Heights-East Pines) (Planned)Riverdale Road / 64th AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: P31, P42Riverdale Road / Mustang DriveEastbound Metrobus: P31, P42Riverdale Road / 61st PlaceWestbound Metrobus: P31, P42Riverdale Road / 57th AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: P14, P31, P42 MTA: Purple Line (at Riverdale Park-Kenilworth) (Planned)Riverdale Road / 54th AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: P35Riverdale Road / Tanglewood DriveBidirectional Metrobus: P35Riverdale Road / Calvert Park ApartmentsBidirectional Metrobus: P35Riverdale Road / Taylor RoadBidirectional Metrobus: P35Riverdale Road / 49th AvenueEastbound Metrobus: P35Riverdale Road / 48th AvenueWestbound Metrobus: P35Queensbury Road / Rhode Island AvenueBidriectional Metrobus: P35Lafayette Avenue / Queensbury RoadWestbound Metrobus: P35Queensbury Road / Baltimore AvenueEastbound Metrobus: P1X, P35Queensbury Road / 44th PlaceWestbound Metrobus: P1X, P35Queensbury Road / 42nd PlaceBidirectional Metrobus: P35Queensbury Road / 41st AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: P10, P35Belcrest Road / Queens Chapel RoadBidirectional Metrobus: P10, P33, P35 TheBus: P43Bus Bays D and GBidirectional Metrobus: M12, M44, P10, P32, P33, P35 TheBus: P43 Shuttle-UM: 113 Washington Metro: East-West Highway / EntranceBidirectional Metrobus: P32, P35 TheBus: P43 Washington Metro: East-West Highway / Toledo TerraceBidirectional Metrobus: M12, P32, P35 TheBus: P43East-West Highway / 23rd AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: M12, P15, P16, P35 TheBus: P43East-West Highway / Ager RoadBidirectional Metrobus: M12, P15, P16, P35East-West Highway / 19th PlaceBidirectional Metrobus: M12, P15, P16, P35East-West Highway / Riggs RoadBidirectionalEast-West Highway / Chillum Manor DriveBidirectionalEast-West Highway / Fairview AvenueEastboundEast-West Highway / Linden AvenueWestboundEast-West Highway / Kentland AvenueWestboundEast-West Highway / New Hampshire AvenueBidirectional Metrobus: M60, M6X Ride On: 16Montgomery County, MarylandEthan Allen Avenue / Elm AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 16Ethan Allen Avenue / Jackson AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 16Carroll Avenue / Grant AvenueEastbound Ride On: 16Ethan Allen Avenue / Carroll AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 16Philadelphia Avenue / Holt Place/AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 18Philadelphia Avenue / Maple AvenueWestbound Ride On: 18Philadelphia Avenue / Cedar AvenueEastbound Ride On: 17Philadelphia Avenue / Holly AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 17Philadelphia Avenue / Takoma AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 17Philadelphia Avenue / Chicago AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 17Fenton Street / Philadelphia AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 17Fenton Street / Silver Spring AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 16, 17Fenton Street / Thayer AvenueBidirectional Ride On: 16, 17Fenton Street / Bonifant StreetBidirectional Ride On: 16, 17, 20, 28 (Eastbound only) MTA: Purple Line (at Silver Spring Library) (Planned)Fenton Street / Wayne AvenueWestbound Ride On: 16, 17, 20Fenton Street / Ellsworth DriveEastbound Ride On: 15, 16, 17, 20, 28Fenton Street / Roeder RoadBidirectional Metrobus: M52, M54Ride On: 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 28 (Eastbound only), Flash BRT (Blue, Orange)Georgia Avenue / Ellsworth DriveEastbound Metrobus: M20 Ride On: 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20Silver SpringBus Bay 223Eastbound station,Westbound terminal Metrobus: C87, D40, D4X, D60, D6X, M20, M52, M54, M70 Ride On: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, Flash BRT (Blue, Orange) MTA Maryland Bus: 915, 929 Shuttle-UM: 111 Peter Pan Bus Washington Metro: MARC: Brunswick Line MTA: Purple Line (Planned)
History
Before WMATA implemented the Better Bus Redesign network, Route P30 was previously known as Route F4. Prior to February 19, 1978, F4 originally operated as part of the Michigan Avenue Line between Avondale (Eastern Avenue & Michigan Avenue NE) and Archives (9th Street NW & Constitution Avenue NW). F6 had a prior incarnation as the Sargent Road Line, when it operated as a Capital Transit Company bus route between Green Meadows and 12th & Quincy Street NE in Brookland, D.C. during the 1940s. However, the F6 was eventually truncated to operate between Gallatin Street NE & South Dakota Avenue NE in North Michigan Park, D.C. 12th & Quincy Street NE in Brookland, D.C. in 1949, before ultimately being discontinued in 1958.
The New Carrollton-Silver Spring Line was derived from the former DC Transit East-West Highway Line Route J4.
The original J4 began operating between the University of Maryland and Friendship Heights, via Campus Drive, Baltimore Avenue, Queens Chapel Road, East-West Highway, Prince George's Plaza, Belcrest Road, Queens Chapel Road, Hamilton Street, Ager Road, East-West Highway, Ethan-Allen Avenue, Philadelphia Avenue, Fenton Street, Sligo Avenue, Georgia Avenue, Wayne Avenue, Fenton Street, Colesville Road, East-West Highway, and Wisconsin Avenue around 1961. In 1962, Over time, the J4 was rerouted between the University of Maryland College Park Campus and Prince George's Plaza via Campus Drive, Adelphi Road, and Belcrest Road.
In October 1963, the J4 was extended from the University of Maryland to Beltway Plaza Mall, via Baltimore Avenue and Greenbelt Road. J4 eventually became a WMATA Metrobus Route on February 4, 1973, when WMATA acquired DC Transit and formed its Metrobus System.
Around 1975, J2 was formed as a brand new Metrobus Route to operate as part of the East-West Highway Line alongside the J4, except it would operate between Beltway Plaza and Montgomery Mall. The J2 would operate on East-West Highway between the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center and the intersection of Ager Road in Green Meadows instead of operating along Belcrest Road, Queens Chapel Road, Hamilton Street, and Ager Road.
On February 19, 1978 shortly after Silver Spring opened, Routes J2 and J4 were truncated to only operate between Friendship Heights (J4)/Montgomery Mall (J2) and Silver Spring station. The East-West Highway Line was split into two routes. Routes J2, J4, and a brand new J3 were renamed into the Bethesda–Silver Spring Line operating on its current route between Friendship Heights and Montgomery Mall and Silver Spring, while the portion between Silver Spring and Prince George's Plaza was renamed into the Prince George's-Silver Spring Line, operated by new Routes F4 and F6.
Routes F4 and F6 operated between Silver Spring and New Carrollton (F4) and Greenbelt (F6). Both routes operated parallel with each other between Silver Spring and East-West Highway & Ager Road in Green Meadows, then split from each other. Route F4 would operate along the former J2's routing along East-West Highway, then would operate to New Carrollton Mall via Belcrest Road, Queensbury Road, 48th Avenue (towards New Carrollton)/Lafayette Avenue (towards the Silver Spring Metro Station), and Riverdale Road. Route F6 would operate along the former J4's routing Ager Road, Hamilton Street, Queens Chapel Road, and Belcrest Road, University of Maryland, Baltimore Avenue, Greenbelt Road, and Beltway Plaza. After serving Beltway Plaza, Route F6 would operate to Greenbelt Center via Greenbelt Road, Lakecrest Drive, Lakeside Drive, Westway, Ridge Road, Gardenway, Crescent Road, and Southway. During rush hours, the F6 would operate to Goddard Space Flight Center via Southway and Greenbelt Road.
On December 3, 1978 shortly after the New Carrollton station opened, F4 was extended from its original terminus at New Carrollton Mall to New Carrollton station.
On December 11, 1993, the F6 was rerouted to operate between New Carrollton and Prince George's Plaza station, via Ellin Road, Harkins Road, Finns Lane, Riverdale Road, Auburn Avenue, Good Luck Road, Kenilworth Avenue, River Road, College Park–University of Maryland station, River Road, Kenilworth Avenue, East-West Highway, Prince George's Plaza, Belcrest Road, Queens Chapel Road, Ager Road, West Hyattsville station, Ager Road, and East-West Highway. Service to Beltway Plaza and Greenbelt Center was replaced by extended route C2. During this time, F4 was also rerouted to serve the Prince George's Plaza station.
Around the 1990s, Route F6 would discontinue service to Silver Spring station and terminate at Prince George's Plaza.