1. Background

2. History
     Route R4    Route R2    Route R6 and R7  

3. Service Changes
     Simplification of the Line    Service Changes (2003 & 2007)  

4. References

The Queens Chapel Road Line, designated Route R4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Highview, Maryland and Brookland–CUA station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 20-35 minutes during peak hours, 50 minutes during midday service and 70 minutes on the weekends. R4 trips are roughly 30 minutes.

Background

The Queens Chapel Road Line was originally served by the R2, R4, R6, and R7. On December 11, 1993, the route was simplified with the R2 being rerouted to serve as the Riggs Road Line as a replacement for the R8 & R9 while the R6 & R7 were replaced by the R4.^[1]

History

Route R4

The R4 has been operating as part of the Queens Chapel Road Line since February 6, 1978 when Brookland–CUA station opened. The R4 originally operated on the Queens Chapel Road Line along with the R2, R6, and R7, from the time when its Metrobus Route was first created by WMATA, all the way up until December 11, 1993 when the West Hyattsville and Prince George's Plaza Metro Stations opened. The R4 only operated between Brookland–CUA station and Hyattsville via Bunker Hill Road N.E., 10th Street N.E., Perry Street N.E., Michigan Avenue N.E., Queens Chapel Road, Ager Road, Hamilton Street, Gallatin Street, 42nd Avenue, and Farragut Street. Once R4 reached its Hyattsville terminus at the intersection of Farragut Street & 42nd Avenue, it'll would turn back and operate in the direction of the Brookland-CUA Metro Station along with R2, R6, and R7's route from the intersection of Ager Road & Hamilton Street. The R4 did not initially serve The Mall at Prince Georges at all until being rerouted to operate between Brookland-CUA Station & Highview Apartment Complex in Hyattsville, rather than through the Historical/ Downtown area of Hyattsville. From November 21, 1978 all the way up to December 11, 1993, WMATA Metrobus Route R4 also operated parallel to WMATA Metrobus Route F8, on Hamilton Street, 38th Avenue, Jefferson Street, and a very small portion of Baltimore Avenue/Rhode Island Avenue. The R4 also replaced the G7 and G9 which were the Queens Chapel Road Lines. Both the G7 & G9 operated from the Highview Apartment Complex in Hyattsville, MD, all the way up to Downtown Washington D.C. before Brookland-CUA station opened on February 6, 1978 (the G9 would be reincarnated as the Rhode Island Avenue Limited Line in 2017).^[2] In addition to these routes, R4 also replaced much of the former streetcar line, G4's former routing through Hyattsville, MD.

Up until Prince George's Plaza station, and West Hyattsville station opened, the R2, R4, R6, and R7, would all operate on the same routing between Brookland-CUA Metro Station and the intersection of Ager Road & Hamilton Street, (where the West Hyattsville Metro Station was yet to be built and next to where the former Hyattsville Metrobus Division once stood, the former Ford's Automobile Repair Shop, the former Queens Chapel Municipal Airport^[3], and former Drive-In Theater were located), via Bunker Hill Road N.E., 10th Street N.E., Perry Street N.E., Michigan Avenue N.E., Queens Chapel Road, and Ager Road. However, each of these routes split up after reaching the intersection of Ager Road & Hamilton Street.^[4]

Route R2

WMATA initially created Route R2 on February 6, 1978, to serve as part of the Queens Chapel Road Line between the newly opened Brookland–CUA station and Centerpark Office Park in Calverton. Between February 6, 1978, and December 11, 1993, R2 operated between the Brookland-CUA Metro Station and Centerpark Office Park in Calverton, via Bunker Hill Road N.E., 10th Street N.E., Perry Street N.E., Michigan Avenue N.E., Queens Chapel Road, Hamilton Street, Queens Chapel Road, Belcrest Road, Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center, Belcrest Road, East-West Highway, Baltimore Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, and Powder Mill Road.

Route R6 and R7

The R6 would operated between Brookland–CUA station & Lewisdale (Lewisdale Drive & 23rd Avenue), between February 6, 1978 all the way up to December 11, 1993, and would continue straight on Ager Road past Hamilton Street, then make a right turn onto 23rd Avenue, and then a left turn onto Lewisdale Drive, to reach its Lewisdale terminus at the intersection of Lewisdale Drive & 23rd Avenue. The R6 would then turn back and operate in the direction of the Brookland-CUA Metro Station by making a left turn onto Fordham Street from the intersection of Lewisdale Drive, then continue all the way on Fordham Street until reaching the intersection of 23rd Avenue, make a right turn onto 23rd Avenue, and follow the rest of its same routing back to the Brookland-CUA Metro Station, that it used to get to Lewisdale.

The R7, would also operate between the Brookland-CUA Metro Station but serve Highview Apartment Complex in Hyattsville, MD, on weekdays only. While the R7, would follow exactly the same routing as Metrobus routes R2, R4, and R6 between the Brookland-CUA Metro Station and the intersection of Ager Road & Hamilton Street, and follow R2's routing all the way up to The Mall at Prince Georges via a right turn onto Hamilton Street, then a left turn onto Queens Chapel Road, another left turn onto Belcrest Road, and another left turn onto Toledo Road to enter and serve The Mall at Prince George's. The R7 would then turn back right onto Toledo Road after serving the mall, then make a left turn back onto Belcrest Road, then another left turn onto Toledo Terrace, then a right turn onto Northwest Drive, a left turn onto Dean Drive, and a right turn at Highview Terrace.

Service Changes

Simplification of the Line

On December 11, 1993, changes were made as an attempt to simplify the line.

Both R6 and R7 routes were discontinued, and its sister Metrobus route R2, was rerouted to operate on the Riggs Road Line between the Fort Totten Metro Station & Calverton (Plum Orchard Drive & Broadbirch Drive). All routes were replaced by the R4.^[6]

The R4 was rerouted to operate between Brookland–CUA station and Highview Apartment Complex in Hyattsville, which is a combination of the R4 and R7, with the exception that it would divert into the newly opened Prince George's Plaza station, and West Hyattsville station. The R4 would operate via Bunker Hill Road N.E., 10th Street N.E., Perry Street N.E., Michigan Avenue N.E., Queens Chapel Road, Ager Road, West Hyattsville station, Hamilton Street, Belcrest Road, Prince George's Plaza station, Belcrest Road, Toledo Road,, Prince George's Plaza Mall, Toledo Road, Belcrest Road, Toledo Terrace, Northwest Drive, Dean Drive, and Highview Terrace.

The R4's former routing on Hamilton Street (from the intersection of Ager Road all the way up to 38th Avenue), 38th Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Baltimore Avenue / Rhode Island Avenue, was completely replaced by Route F8.^[7]

The R2 was rerouted to operate between the Fort Totten station and intersection of Plum Orchard Drive and Broadbirch Drive in Calverton, Maryland via 1st Place N.E., Riggs Road N.E., Riggs Road, East-West Highway, the Prince George's Plaza station, the Prince George's Plaza Mall, East-West Highway, Riggs Road, Powder Mill Road, Beltsville Drive, Calverton Boulevard, Broadbirch Drive, Plum Orchard Drive, and Cherry Hill Road. Unlike the former R8 and R9 Metrobus Routes, R2 was rerouted to divert from Riggs Road onto East-West Highway and travel eastwards on East-West Highway to serve both the Prince George's Plaza station and Prince George's Plaza Mall, before returning westwards on East-West Highway, to rejoin Riggs Road and taken over the former R8 routing.^[8] The R2 would also operate alongside the brand new R1 & R5 routes.

The R6's former service between the Brookland-CUA Metro Station & intersection of Ager Road & Hamilton Street in Hyattsville, MD, was completely replaced by Route R4. R6's former service on Ager Road between Hamilton Street and 23rd Avenue, was completely replaced by Route F6. Also, the former routing on 23rd Avenue, Lewisdale Drive, and Fordham Street, was completely replaced by the newly created R3 Route.

The R7's service between the Brookland-CUA Metro Station & Highview Apartment Complex in Hyattsville, MD, was replaced with the extended R4 route.

While the R4's former routing on Gallatin Street, 42nd Avenue, Farragut Street, Baltimore Avenue, had no Metrobus Route to replace it, in 1996, the brand new TheBus Route 13 which operated between the Prince George's Plaza & West Hyattsville Metro Stations as a loop was introduced. The only difference between Prince George's County The Bus Route 13 and R4's routing through Hyattsville, was that R4 would turn right from Gallatin Street onto 42nd Avenue, then make a left onto Farragut Street, then make another left turn onto Rhode Island Avenue, which would immediately make a sharp turn towards the left and become Baltimore Avenue. R4 would then turn left onto Gallatin Street, hen turn right onto 42nd Avenue, then make a left turn onto Jefferson Street, which would become 38th Avenue, and then rejoin Hamilton Street once again by making a right turn from 38th Avenue onto Hamilton Street. TheBus Route 13, would not operate on 38th Avenue, nor Jefferson Street at all like R4 used to however and would simply remain on Hamilton Street, which would become Gallatin Street, 40th Place, and then Crittenden street, before joining the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue. It'll would then make a left turn onto Rhode Island Avenue, which would make a sharp left turn and become Baltimore Avenue, then make a left turn onto Gallatin Street, and make a right turn back onto 42nd Avenue. The R4's former routing through Hyattsville did not at all operate on much of TheBus Route 13's routing through Hyattsville, other than with the exception of Hamilton Street, a small portion of Gallatin Street, and a very small portion of Baltimore Avenue / Rhode Island Avenue. Additionally, R4 did not at all operate north of Jefferson Street in Hyattsville, MD, as its previous Hyattsville terminus was at the intersection of Farragut Street & 42nd Avenue, where the route would turn back and operate southbound towards the Brookland-CUA Metro Station once the terminus was reached.

Service Changes (2003 & 2007)

On May 15, 2003, the R4 and several other Metrobus routes used to serve and loop inside Prince George's Plaza Mall, along with the former G.C. Murphy's Department Store were demolished to make room for the construction of a brand new Target store. Ever since May 15, 2003, R4 has been permanently rerouted to no longer enter inside and directly serve the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center. As of May 15, 2003, passengers wishing to get off at Prince George's Plaza mall, have had to get off on Belcrest Road.^[9]

The last major route change to WMATA Metrobus Route R4 took place during the beginning of the year of 2007 when a new curb/block on the eastern side of the Prince George's Plaza station, right by Belcrest Road. It was the site of where the new Mosaic Apartments, located right next to the station, had just started being built. The new curb/block; meant only allowed all vehicles, including buses, to enter the station by making either a right or left turn from both the northbound and southbound sides of Belcrest Road, but only exit the station via a right turn onto Belcrest Road in the southbound direction. The new curb/ block built, strictly prohibited all vehicles, including buses and cars, from exiting the station, by making a left turn onto Belcrest Road in the northbound direction. Therefore, only the R4 in the direction of Highview was affected by this change. Though R4 was still able to make a direct left turn from northbound Belcrest Road into the Prince George's Plaza station, R4 was unable to exit the station by making a left turn from the station onto northbound Belcrest Road. In order to adjust its route to turn around the hurdle presented by this new change, WMATA permanently rerouted R4 to exit Prince George's Plaza station by making a right turn onto the intersection of East-West Highway, and then making a left turn to get back onto Belcrest Road in the northbound direction. Since then the route has not changed since it's 2007 routing.

References

• Russell Mehta
• Russell Merrin
• Russell Mervyn Murray
• Russell Meyer
• Russell Meyer (bowls)
• Russell M. Fulcher
• Russell, Michael
• Russell ministries
• Russell ministry
• Russell ministry (disambiguation)
• Russell M. Nelson Sr.
• Russell Moore (bluegrass music)
• Russell Moore (disambiguation)
• Russell Moreland
• Russell Morgan
• Russell, Morgan & Co.
• Russell Morris (album)
• Russell Morris (disambiguation)
• Russell Morris discography
• Russell Morrison (swimmer)
• Russell Mortimer Luckock
• Russell Moses
• Russell Mountain
• Russell Mullen
• Russell Nelson