U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Porcari Announces Agreement to Bring Intercity Bus Service to Union Station

New Partnership Will Provide Travelers with Transportation Options, Improve Rest Facilities for Drivers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari today announced that the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) has reached an agreement with Greyhound, Bolt Bus, Megabus and Washington Deluxe to relocate their services to Union Station.  The new agreement will enable passengers to board and disembark from the safe, weather-protected Union Station bus deck, improve access to other transportation and retail options available at Union Station and reduce congestion in the District by moving buses off of busy city streets.

“By moving intercity buses to Union Station, we can increase tourism, provide more transportation options to D.C. residents, and help keep bus drivers rested and ready for the road,” said Deputy Secretary Porcari.  “This is a win for bus companies, a win for Union Station and a win for the residents of the District.”

Thanks to the new partnership between the USRC and Greyhound, Bolt Bus, Megabus and Washington Deluxe, more than 70 percent of intercity bus service in the District will now be available from Union Station.  The new pickup and drop off location will provide increased security and safety for passengers, as well as connections to the D.C. Metro, Amtrak, MARC, the D.C. Circulator and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.  And tourists entering the city by bus will have easy access to Capitol Hill, the Mall, the Smithsonian Museums and the retail options at Union Station.

Involvement with USRC

To ensure that the new intercity bus service doesn’t interfere with the popular and successful D.C. tour buses operating from Union Station, the USRC worked carefully with all of the companies involved to develop a layout plan for the bus deck that will maximize resources at Union Station.  In addition, the USRC will partner with Mayor Vincent Gray’s office and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to provide a nearby offsite parking lot for bus drivers with access to concessions and dedicated restrooms.   The offsite lot will keep bus traffic flowing smoothly on the Union Station Bus Deck, help the District move bus parking off of city streets, and provide facilities and services to better meet the needs of bus drivers.

The intercity bus relocation agreement is one of several projects that will continue to position Union Station as a cutting edge multi-modal transportation hub and unique retail destination.  DDOT is scheduled to begin streetcar service to the H Street corridor in 2013, and the Columbus Plaza Reconfiguration scheduled to begin this fall will bring much needed improvements to vehicle and pedestrian circulation in front of Union Station.  The Union Station master plan also envisions an expanded Metrorail station, an enhanced retail experience, new and refurbished Amtrak and commuter rail facilities, a rebuilt H Street bridge and a new community, Burnham Place, to be built on air-rights over the railroad tracks with some three-million square feet of new hotels, offices, residences and shopping.

The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation is a unique nonprofit corporation charged by Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation with maintaining and enhancing Washington D.C.’s historic Union Station as an intermodal transportation center and visitor experience.  Each year visitors and passengers spend more than $100 million at Union Station’s shops and dining facilities, producing some $9 million annually in revenues for the District of Columbia. More than 100,000 passengers pass though every day, and the Metro subway station at the site is the busiest in the entire system.

Deputy Secretary John Porcari is chairman of the USRC.