Greenbelt council declines to support two new WMATA stops on Crescent Road after resident safety concerns

The Greenbelt City Council on March 17 voted not to support WMATA’s request to install two ADA-compliant bus stops on Crescent Road for the P20/P21 route changes adopted in Metro’s 2025 Better Bus Network. The requested bus-stop pads would have required removal of three on‑street parking spaces and included relocation of one accessible parking space.

Why it matters: WMATA adopted the network redesign in November 2024 and is implementing new route names and alignments. The proposed stops would bring bus service closer to the Greenbelt Community Center and the Library, but residents on Westway and in nearby Greenbelt Homes, Inc. (GHI) raised concerns about safety, visibility, noise and parking loss.

Staff and agency presentations Planner Jamie Fira summarized WMATA’s request and staff analysis, noting the city would be responsible for installation costs (staff estimated about $4,000) and that making the stops ADA-compliant would require curb ramps and pads in the right-of-way. Fira said the change would reduce the number of turns buses make and place stops closer to civic destinations, while potentially removing existing stops with low ridership.

William Jones, Metrobus service‑design lead, described the regional scope and timeline for the Better Bus rollout; WMATA intends the new network to begin June 29, 2025 for Metro routes and June 30 for certain county-operated services. Jones said WMATA had coordinated with Prince George’s County staff and would add route signage and online materials in April–May.

Public testimony and advisory review The Advisory Planning Board reviewed the proposal and recommended installation of the stops, while flagging sight‑line and safety concerns around a mid‑block crosswalk on Westway. Dozens of residents spoke at the council meeting. Stefan Bridal, president of Greenbelt Homes, Inc., said the GHI board and many residents oppose the stops and “we only see serious problems,” citing dense shrubbery, parked cars, blind spots and frequent pedestrian use of Westway without sidewalks.

Multiple residents described children, seniors and people with limited mobility who use the mid‑block crossing and the inner pathway system; others — including several residents near Crescent — said the proposed stops would improve access to the library and community center. Alexander Barnes and other residents argued the changes would benefit apartment residents; other speakers documented near-misses and said they feared an increased crash risk if buses used Westway and Crescent.

Council decision After hearing staff, WMATA and dozens of public comments, a councilmember moved that the city not support the installation of the two Crescent Road pads. The motion carried; council announced the outcome as approval of the motion not to support the stops. City staff noted that if the city refuses the pad installations, WMATA’s routing changes will likely leave existing stops and routing in place within Greenbelt until other arrangements are made.

What the vote means Council’s action does not change WMATA’s regional decision to adopt the P20/P21 routing; it means the city will not install the requested stops on Crescent Road in advance of the June 29 start date. Fira told the council that absent city-installed pads, the routes could continue to serve the current Ridge/Southway stops that are not fully ADA-compliant. City staff and the Advisory Planning Board recommended further work on sight-line improvements and pedestrian safety measures — for example, removing parking near the crosswalk, raised crosswalks or other traffic-calming measures — if the council and residents seek to reduce hazards on Westway.

Ending: Council asked staff to continue coordination with Prince George’s County and WMATA about accessible stops and to work on pedestrian-safety remedies around the Westway crossing. For now, the city will not fund the Crescent Road pads requested by WMATA.