Twinbrook–Silver Spring Line

The Twinbrook–Silver Spring Line, designated Route J5, was a bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Silver Spring station and Twinbrook station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operated during the weekday peak-hours only providing express service along the Capital Beltway connecting both Silver Spring and Rockville without having to enter Washington D.C. The line was discontinued on June 25, 2017 due to a budget crisis.

J5
Twinbrook–Silver Spring Line
Overview
System	Metrobus
Operator	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Garage	Montgomery
Livery	Local
Status	Discontinued
Ended service	June 25, 2017
Route
Locale	Montgomery County, Maryland
Communities served	Silver Spring, North Bethesda, Rockville, Twinbrook
Landmarks served	Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center (Silver Spring station), Grosvenor–Strathmore station, White Flint Mall, Parklawn building, Twinbrook station
Start	Silver Spring station (Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center)
Via	Georgia Avenue, Capital Beltway, Rockville Pike, Parklawn Drive
End	Twinbrook station

History

Route J5 was created in the mid-1980s in order to provide new express service between Silver Spring station and Twinbrook station via Georgia Avenue, Capital Beltway, Rockville Pike, Parklawn Drive. The new J5 will connect Silver Spring station Grosvenor–Strathmore station, White Flint Mall, Parklawn building, and Twinbrook station.

The new route was to provide express service for passengers along the Capital Beltway so they would not have to enter Washington, D.C. by the Red Line. The line will operate every 30 minutes during the weekday peak-hours only in both direction.

2010 Proposed Changes

In 2010 during WMATA's FY2011 budget, WMATA proposed to reroute the J5 along Georgia Avenue, Viers Mill Road, and Randolph Road and Wheaton station in order to replace route C4. Service along the Capital Beltway, Grosvenor–Strathmore station, Rockville Pike, and Nicholson Lane would be discontinued with no alternative service. The route would still operate during the rush hours only. WMATA reasons the reroute was to provide a replacement at times of heaviest passenger travel for Route C4 between Twinbrook and Wheaton Stations, which is proposed to be discontinued, supplement routes Q4 and Q6 on Veirs Mill Road between Randolph Road and Wheaton Station, and to supplement routes Q4 and Y5, Y7, Y8, Y9 on Georgia Avenue between Wheaton Station and Silver Spring station. The proposal did not go through however.

2015 Changes

When the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center at Silver Spring station opened, route J5 was rerouted from its bus stop along Wayne Avenue to Bus Bay 218 at the transit center on the second level sharing the bay with routes Q1, Q2, and Q4.

Proposed Elimination

In 2017 during WMATA's FY2018 budget year, WMATA proposed to eliminate route J5 due to low ridership, a high subsidy per rider, and alternative service on other Metrobus and Ride On routes. Performance measures goes as follow according to WMATA:

Performance Measure	Route J5	WMATA Guideline	Pass/Fail
Average Weekday Riders	284	>432	Fail
Cost Recovery	17.7%	>16.6%	Pass
Subsidy per Rider	$5.43	<$4.81	Fail
Riders per Trip	14.2	>10.7	Pass
Riders per Revenue Mile	1.4	>1.3	Pass

Route J5 ridership decreased 27,000 (-27%) total annual passengers between WMATA's FY2015 and FY2016 years. The FY2016 total ridership was 74,352 compared to FY 2015 total ridership of 101,323. Alternative service is provided by route C4 and Ride On routes 10 and 44 from Twinbrook station and along Parklawn Drive, Ride On route 38 along Nicholson Lane, and the Red Line between Grosvenor–Strathmore station and Silver Spring stations.

Discontinuation of Route

On June 25, 2017, route J5 was officially eliminated due to low ridership and WMATA's budget crisis.

Resident Opposition

Residents and the Montgomery County City Council voiced concerns over the proposed WMATA changes. Many riders relied on the J5 to work, as it's a cheaper alternative to the Red Line. A Change.org petition was launched by Takoma Park resident Javel Wilson in an effort to save the J5. The petition gained at least 334 supporters by June 25, 2017. Javel Wilson stated in the petition:

The J5 bus line is vital to current riders to get to and from work each day. There are no alternative METRO bus lines that serve the same route. Eliminating the J5 bus line will cause most commuter daily commute times to increase by 50 to 100% or more as they will have to take the red line train through the city or take at least two buses to travel from home to work each day. Not only will the trip times increase drastically the daily commute cost will quadruple for many current J5 riders.

Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker also joined the fight to save the J5. In a letter to General Manager Paul Wiedefeld, Hucker stated:

Many people depend on the J5 route every day, If Metro needs to save money, it should consider other options such as reducing the number of daily runs or reroute it, rather than eliminate it entirely. Elimination of this route will significantly impact the daily commutes of many County residents who rely on it to get to work, school, and home in a timely manner, As you know, residents who rely on public transportation often do so of necessity and avoid costlier modes, including Metrorail, to make ends meet. While WMATA has suggested alternative routes, including the Red Line, it is important to note that each alternative route would require additional fare payment, longer travel time, or route transfers, all of which directly affect a rider's commute.

According to WMATA, ridership was low for the J5 and it was not making enough money to keep the route operating. Residents opposed a plea deal to change the J5 route in order to help out other Ride On and Metrobus routes, fewer runs of the J5, or use smaller buses for the J5. However as of 2020, the J5 has not been reinstated.