Route 70 (WMATA)

Route 70 (WMATA)
Name	Route 70
System	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Start	Silver Spring station
End	Greenbelt station
Locale	Prince George's County, Montgomery County
Status	Operational
Length	Approx. 6.5 miles
Operation	WMATA Metrobus
Other routes	Routes 79, 86, 87
Via	Colesville Road, University Boulevard, Baltimore Avenue

Route 70 (WMATA) is a Metrobus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority connecting Silver Spring station and Greenbelt station through University of Maryland, College Park, College Park–University of Maryland station, and neighborhoods of Prince George's County, Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland. The route serves key destinations including the University of Maryland Global Campus, Eisenhower Library, Greenbelt National Park, and transit hubs linking to the Metrorail system, Amtrak, and regional bus services. Route 70 functions within the broader Metrobus network alongside routes such as 70N, 70S, and Route 79 that together form arterial connections across the Washington metropolitan area.

History

Route 70 traces its origins to earlier streetcar and bus services that linked Silver Spring, Maryland with suburban nodes during the interwar and postwar periods, evolving alongside institutions like the Pan American Airways era expansion and the post-World War II suburbanization of Montgomery County, Maryland and Prince George's County, Maryland. During the 1970s and 1980s, transit planning bodies including the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Maryland Transit Administration adjusted alignments to coordinate with the opening of the Red Line (Washington Metro) and the Green Line (Washington Metro), as well as the establishment of the College Park–University of Maryland station which reshaped commuter flows. Service changes in the 1990s and 2000s responded to land-use shifts near the University of Maryland, College Park and projects like the development of Greenbelt Historic District and transit-oriented proposals linked to the National Capital Planning Commission. Significant schedule restructurings occurred during the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent 2010s United States transportation policy adjustments, with periodic rerouting near campuses influenced by safety reviews following events involving the Department of Transportation and university public-safety partnerships.

Route description

The route travels primarily along corridors including Colesville Road (Maryland Route 384), University Boulevard (Maryland Route 193), and Baltimore Avenue (U.S. Route 1), serving stops adjacent to landmarks such as Springfield Hospital Center, Eisenhower Library, and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Beginning at Silver Spring station, Route 70 proceeds through commercial districts that tie into the Greater Washington Partnership commuting patterns before reaching the University of Maryland, College Park vicinity and the College Park Aviation Museum area, ultimately terminating near Greenbelt station adjacent to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center access corridors. The alignment interfaces with multimodal infrastructure including BikeArlington style networks, regional park-and-ride lots, and pedestrian pathways associated with the Anacostia Tributary Trail System, integrating with regional transit nodes such as Hyattsville Crossing station via connecting bus routes.

Service and operations

WMATA operates Route 70 with scheduled headways that vary by time of day and week to accommodate commuter peaks tied to academic calendars at the University of Maryland, College Park and federal telework cycles influenced by policy at the United States Office of Personnel Management. The route coordinates with Metrorail service intervals on the Red Line (Washington Metro) and Green Line (Washington Metro) to facilitate transfers at intermodal hubs including College Park–University of Maryland station and Greenbelt station, and it connects riders to regional bus providers such as the Prince George's County Transit and Montgomery County Ride On. Operations are managed from WMATA divisions subject to labor agreements with unions like the Amalgamated Transit Union and compliance requirements under federal regulators such as the Federal Transit Administration.

Fares and transfers

Fares on Route 70 follow WMATA's established fare structure, compatible with the SmarTrip farecard system and fare media interoperable with services like MARC Train and selected VRE connections for integrated regional travel. Transfers permit continuation onto Metrobus and Metrorail segments under WMATA policy, with fare enforcement overseen by WMATA Transit Police in coordination with local law enforcement entities such as the Prince George's County Police Department when incidents arise. Concession programs, including reduced fares for qualifying seniors and veterans under statutes administered by the Social Security Administration and state agencies, are valid per WMATA guidelines.

Fleet and equipment

Buses assigned to Route 70 are drawn from WMATA's fleet comprising models by manufacturers such as New Flyer Industries, Gillig Corporation, and formerly Orion Bus Industries, equipped with features mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 including wheelchair ramps, priority seating, and automated stop announcements integrated with WMATA's passenger information systems. Powertrain choices reflect agency-wide shifts including diesel, hybrid diesel-electric, and ongoing pilot deployments of battery-electric buses influenced by federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration and state environmental programs administered alongside the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Incidents and notable events

Notable events affecting Route 70 have included service disruptions due to adverse weather incidents impacting Baltimore–Washington Parkway corridors, security responses associated with large events at the University of Maryland, College Park and municipal emergencies coordinated with the Prince George's County Office of Emergency Management, and community actions such as protests or campus demonstrations that temporarily altered routing and schedules. Operational incidents involving buses on the corridor have been investigated by WMATA incident review boards and reported to oversight entities such as the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General when interjurisdictional oversight applied.

Future plans and proposed changes

Planning documents from WMATA and regional planning agencies including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Maryland Transit Administration consider modifications to corridors like those served by Route 70 to improve bus rapid transit potential, enhance access to Rail-Plus-Bus initiatives, and integrate with regional climate resilience strategies promoted by the Maryland Department of Transportation. Proposed changes under study include adjusted frequencies tied to projected growth at the University of Maryland, College Park and transit-oriented development near Greenbelt Metro Station, pilot electrification phases funded by federal infrastructure legislation and partnerships with organizations like the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

Category:Metrobus routes