Want to See Where Transit and Biking Need a Boost? D.C. Has a Map for That

According to the street congestion metrics, the slowest stretch of road in the entire city is K Street at rush hour. Buses there have it especially bad, averaging just 3.5 mph, barely beating walking speed. Most of the worst travel times in the city are on east-west roads downtown, and in Columbia Heights. The average bus speed almost anywhere in the city is 10 miles per hour or slower during rush hour, and only 5 mph downtown.

It’s not only outside the bus that is congested. Inside is too. Most of the city's bus lines are stuffed with riders. WMATA officially designates overcrowding at 120% of seated capacity, which is an uncomfortable ride for all passengers. In the morning rush, 40 different bus lines in the city meet that overcrowding standard. On the S line, which has one express and three full service routes, at least one route is overcrowded at all times.'Of course, not all the buses are on time. The portal tells us where on time performance is good, and where it's bad. The 90 north from U Street to Calvert Street NW is the latest bus in the city, averaging six minutes late. Meanwhile, the W5 west at Anacostia station and the V5 north at H St SE both routinely arrive seven minutes early, confounding riders who rely on the schedule.