The Marlboro Pike Line, designated Route J12, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the Addison Road Metro Station of the Blue & Silver Lines of the Washington Metro & Forestville. The line operates every 35 minutes during peak hours, and 70 minutes during midday and on the weekends. J12 trips are roughly 28–35 minutes long. Rush hours route J12 trips are extended to the Machinists Place Building which takes roughly 45 minutes.
Background
Route J12 operates between the Addison Road Metro Station & Forestville from 4:25 am to 12:00 am on weekdays and 6:15 am to 11:45 pm on weekends every 35 minutes during peak hours and 70 minutes during the off-peak hours. J12 originally operated out of Southern Avenue Annex division along with the J11, J13, J14, and J15 until February 1989, when the Landover division opened. Once Landover opened, all routes were all shifted to operate out of the Landover division. J11, J13, J14 and J15 operated out of Landover division until all routes were discontinued in 2004 and 2016. J12 was shifted to operate out of Andrews Federal Center division on June 23, 2019.
History
Initial background
J12 began operation in 1925 and initially operated as part of the Marlboro Pike streetcar line between Federal Triangle in Downtown Washington D.C. & Andrews Air Force Base Gates in Camp Springs. J12 was later converted into a bus route during the 1950s, before ultimately becoming a WMATA Metrobus Route on February 4, 1973 when WMATA acquired four private bus companies that operated throughout the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. J12 begin serving Potomac Avenue & Eastern Market stations, once they opened on July 15, 1977, in the middle of its already existing route.
1978 Changes
On September 25, 1978, J12 was truncated to only operate between Potomac Avenue station & Andrews Air Force Base Gates during the times the Blue Line operated. J12 would still continue to make one early morning and late night trip that operated all the way between the Federal Triangle & Andrews Air Force Base Gates during the times the Blue Line did not operate.
1981 Changes
On January 4, 1981, route J12 was truncated even further to only operate between the Addison Road station & Andrews Air Force Base Gates. During this same time created routes J11, J13, J14 and J15. Route J13 would operate on the segment of J12's routing between the Potomac Avenue station and intersection of Marlboro Pike & Larchmont Avenue bypassing Addison Road station, via 11th Street NW, E Street NW, Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 7th Street SW, Independence Avenue SW/SE, Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 38th Street SE, Suitland Road SE, Southern Avenue SE, and Marlboro Pike that was discontinued on two trips during weekday early morning/late night times and only one Saturday early morning trip prior to Metro's opening. Route J11 operated parallel to route J13 during weekday peak periods between Potomac Avenue station & Andrews Air Force Base Gates, via Addison Road station & Machinists Place Building. Route J11 would also operate on Pennsylvania Avenue past the intersection of Forestville Road, and turn onto the intersection of Presidential Parkway and u-turn at the intersection of Machinists Place to serve the Machinists Place Building before resuming the regular routing to Andrews Air Force Base Gates, via Forestville Road & Allentown Road. Route J11 would be shorten to Addison Road station & Andrews Air Force Base Gates only during non weekday peak hours. Routes J14 & J15 operated between Addison Road Metro Station & Ritchie Industrial Park in Forestville, MD, via Addison Road, Central Avenue, Larchmont Avenue, Marlboro Pike, Kipling Parkway, Ritchie Road, Ashwood Drive, Dunmore Place, and Edgeworth Drive. Route J14 would operate throughout most of the day, while J15 would operate during weekday peak periods.
2001 Changes
On January 13, 2001, when the Green Line extension to Branch Avenue was complete, routes J11, J12, & J13 were rerouted to operate to between Potomac Avenue station /Addison Road station J11 & J12 only & Forestville instead of Andrews Air Force Base, by diverting from the intersection of Forestville Road onto the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and then J12 & J13, making a turn onto the intersection of Old Marlboro Pike to reach the Forestville terminus. Route J11 would continue to still operate by diverting onto the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and turn onto the intersection of Presidential Parkway/Machinists Place to serve the Machinists Place building. The segment of Routes J11, J12, & J13's routing on Forestville Road between the intersections of Suitland Parkway & Allentown Road, the intersection of Forestville Road & Andrews Air Force Base Gates, were replaced by both Routes K11 & K12, which were extended from their original terminus to terminate at the newly opened Branch Avenue station.
2004 Changes
On December 18, 2004, when Morgan Boulevard & Largo Town Center stations opened, routes J14 & J15 were discontinued and replaced by Prince George's County's new "TheBus" Route 24, which operates between Ritchie Industrial Park & the Capitol Heights station, via Morgan Boulevard Prince George's TheBus Route 24 followed most of J14 & J15's routing between the intersections of Larchmont Avenue & Marlboro Pike in Capitol Heights, MD & Ritchie Industrial Park except operating to Capitol Heights, instead to Addison Road station. Prince George's TheBus Route 24 would also make a loop at the intersection of Capitol Heights Boulevard & serve much more of the inner portions of both the Capitol Heights and Coral Hills neighborhoods.
2007 Changes
On June 24, 2007, as the Blue Line began operating during earlier times in the morning and later times in the evening, weekday route J11 & J13 trips to Potomac Avenue Metro Station, were discontinued. Rush hour route J11 trips to Potomac Avenue Metro Station were eliminated, and would instead operate between Addison Road station & Forestville. Route J13 would only operate on one early Saturday morning trip between Forestville & Potomac Avenue, before the Blue & Orange Line opens.
2016 Changes
On June 26, 2016, both routes J11 & J13 were discontinued and fully replaced by route J12. Peak hour route J11 trips to Machinists Place Building were renamed route J12,
