A new bus route will offer Shirlington residents a direct connection to D.C. during rush hour.

The new A29 route will run between Van Dorn Street Station and Metro Center via the I-395 express lanes, with stops at Beauregard Street, Mark Center and Southern Towers in Alexandria in addition to the Shirlington Transit Center.

Buses will run every 24 minutes beginning Monday, Dec. 15, operating north to D.C. in the morning and south to Alexandria in the afternoon, according to a press release. To use transit to get to D.C., Shirlington residents currently must take a bus to the Pentagon City Metro station.

A direct bus route between Shirlington and D.C. previously existed but was discontinued a few years ago.

The new route is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s (NVTC) “Commuter Choice” grant program, which is supported by toll revenue collected on I-95/395.

When the NVTC considered the proposal in May, County Board member Matt de Ferranti told ARLnow that the new line would offer numerous benefits for Shirlington and the region as a whole.

“This service will encourage more people to choose public transportation, relieving traffic congestion on I-395 and improving access to employment, education, healthcare and other essential services,” he said.

Public comments on the proposal were generally positive, with many noting the benefits to commuters in Shirlington and Alexandria.

Various other Metrobus changes will go into effect beginning Sunday, Dec. 14. A list of changes in Virginia is below.

Frequency will improve to every 15 minutes from every 30 minutes in response to ridership.
This improvement is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s I-395/95 Commuter Choice grant program.