Before you travel, check Ride On’s live service alerts and trip planner for your date, direction and stop. Montgomery County’s route-specific notice dated January 6, 2025, described Purple Line construction detours for Routes 12, 13, 15 and 19 in Silver Spring. Current project updates confirm construction continues in the area, but do not confirm that those bus detours or alternate stops are still in effect. Treat the route details below as historical until Ride On verifies them for your trip.
Which routes were included in the county detour notice?
The January 6, 2025 Montgomery County detour notice named four Ride On routes. It described route- and direction-specific changes around Wayne Avenue, Sligo Creek Parkway, Piney Branch Road, Flower Avenue and Manchester Road. The routes do not share one identical detour or stop plan.
| Route | Detour described in the January 6, 2025 notice | Stop information in the notice |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Toward Takoma, buses were directed from Wayne Avenue and Sligo Creek Parkway via Sligo Creek Parkway, Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue. Toward Silver Spring, buses were directed from Flower Avenue and Piney Branch Road via Piney Branch Road, Sligo Creek Parkway and Wayne Avenue. | Bypassed stops included East Wayne Avenue at Manchester Road, Manchester Place and Flower Avenue, as well as Flower Avenue at Plymouth Street and Hartwell Road. Listed alternates included Manchester Road at Wayne Avenue, Flower Avenue at Piney Branch Road, Wayne Avenue at Mansfield Road and Flower Avenue at Piney Branch Road. Verify each stop against the live notice. |
| 13 | Toward Takoma, the notice routed buses via Three Oaks Drive, Parkside, Manchester Road, Schuyler Road, Sligo Creek Parkway, Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue. The return direction used Flower Avenue, Piney Branch Road, Sligo Creek Parkway, Schuyler Road, Manchester Road, Parkside and Three Oaks Drive. | The notice listed East Wayne Avenue and Flower Avenue stops as bypassed, with alternate stops on Manchester Road, Schuyler Road, Flower Avenue and Piney Branch Road. Confirm exact stop names and IDs in the current alert. |
| 15 | Toward Takoma Langley, the notice directed buses via Sligo Creek Parkway and Piney Branch Road; toward Silver Spring, via Sligo Creek Parkway and Wayne Avenue. | Several Manchester Road stops were listed as bypassed. Alternatives included Wayne Avenue at Mansfield Road and Piney Branch Road at Manchester Road. Check the current notice for exact stops. |
| 19 | The notice described a detour via Sligo Creek Parkway, Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue; the return direction used Flower Avenue, Piney Branch Road, Sligo Creek Parkway and Wayne Avenue. | Manchester Road stops were listed among those bypassed, with Wayne Avenue and Flower Avenue stops among the alternates. The notice also said the final two PM trips would not serve Three Oaks. Verify whether that trip-specific detail still applies. |
These are descriptions from the dated notice, not confirmation of today’s routing. Because stop IDs and labels can change, use Ride On’s current alert or trip planner to identify where to board rather than relying on this historical list.
How to check where to board for your trip
- Open Ride On service information and trip planning.
- Choose your travel date, route and direction. Check both the service alert and the trip planner; a construction project update alone does not establish a bus stop or route change.
- Look for the exact stop you intend to use and any listed alternate. Confirm the stop name or ID and the live arrival information before leaving.
- If the alert is unclear or does not show your trip, use Ride On’s current schedule information. County schedules are also available online and in print.
What current Purple Line updates do—and do not—confirm
The Purple Line construction updates report ongoing work in Silver Spring, including along Wayne Avenue between Sligo Creek Parkway and Fenton Street, near the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and at the Silver Spring library station. The Wayne Avenue configuration described includes one lane in each direction, at least one sidewalk kept open and intermittent temporary lane closures.
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The project page also reports substantial-completion work coordinated with Montgomery County to determine when the Spring Street Bridge will be available (project update). That construction status is not a Ride On service notice: it does not say whether the 2025 detours, bypassed stops or alternate stops remain active. Check Ride On for bus information on the day you travel.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep timetable changes separate from construction detours
MCDOT’s April 8, 2026 announcement describes schedule adjustments for 18 Ride On routes, effective May 3, 2026, intended to improve efficiency and on-time performance (MCDOT schedule-change announcement). Those timetable changes are a separate service update, not evidence that the Purple Line detours described in January 2025 are still in effect.
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