“This line would be critical to cross-pollinating people/business between thriving areas of NW and hopefully soon-to-thrive areas of NE.”

“Dear PoPville,

RIA Main Street is pushing for funding of the proposed G9 bus line in the upcoming budget. The G9 would run almost all the full length of Rhode Island Avenue within the District, providing a direct link from Mt. Rainier, MD, through Woodridge, Langdon, Brookland, Brentwood, Edgewood, Eckington, Bloomingdale, Shaw, the U St. Corridor and Logan Circle, to Franklin Square. As a prolific bus rider who recently migrated from the western end of this proposed line to the eastern end, I can tell you that trying to get to through most portions of this route via transit is rough. The many bus lines on the eastern end turn around at the Rhode Island Ave. metro and the G8, which is probably the closest existing line, zigzags all around and only sticks to Rhode Island Ave. between 4th St. NE and 9th St. NW.

This line would be critical to cross-pollinating people/business between thriving areas of NW and hopefully soon-to-thrive areas of NE.

Here’s how to lend your voice to support the G9 route: 

• Sign up to testify at Monday’s hearing. As an individual, you will have 3 minutes to speak, and it couldn’t be more easy. Just tell your story about why adding the G9 bus route to Rhode Island Avenue is important to you.
  • Email Sarina Loy ([email protected]), or call 202-724-8058 to sign up to testify.
  • Bring 15 copies of your testimony (plus one for you to read from ) to the hearing room – Room 412 of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW.
• Unable to testify in person, or just want to make sure you’ve covered alllllll the bases? In-person testimony is always the most effective route, but here are other ways to have your voice heard!
  • Submit written testimony no later than May 13, 2016, to the Committee on Finance and Revenue.
  • Contact the members of the Committee on Finance and Revenue directly, and share your testimony with them. The members are: Jack Evans (Ward 2, and Chair of the Committee on Finance and Revenue); Kenyan McDuffie (Ward 5);Vincent Orange (At-Large); David Grosso (At-Large); and Elissa Silverman (At-Large).  Remember, the proposed G9 route goes through both Ward 5 and Ward 2. 
  • Contact Mayor Bowser to let her know you want the G9 route – the Mayor has the final say on the budget!
  • Use social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc), to let our city leaders know that you want the G9 route! Bonus – use your smart phone to record a video of you saying why you want the G9 on Rhode Island Avenue, and share it!

Help us spread the word about funding for the G9 – we need all of your voices to get the funding to make this bus line a much-needed reality for Rhode Island Avenue.“