Metro Reroutes 3 Bus Lines for IMF Meeting

Three Metro bus routes detour April 13-19 due to street closures for IMF Spring Meeting

DC Metro Reroutes 3 Bus Lines for IMF Spring Meeting

Three Washington Metro bus routes will detour around Northwest DC starting April 13 as the city hosts the IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meeting, transit officials said. Routes A49, D96, and F19 will navigate around closed streets near the event venue from 3:30am Monday, April 13 through 2pm Sunday, April 19, 2026. The detours primarily affect westbound and southbound service, while most eastbound and northbound buses won't require rerouting.

Security Closures Drive Route Changes

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority implemented the detours to accommodate street closures required for the international financial meeting. H Street will be closed from 19th to 20th Street and from Pennsylvania Avenue to 20th Street, while 19th Street will be closed from Pennsylvania Avenue to G Street during the event period. Major international gatherings in downtown Washington typically require extensive security perimeters that affect multiple transit routes. The IMF and World Bank hold their Spring Meetings annually, alternating between Washington and member countries' capitals.

Different Timelines for Each Route

Route F19 will detour for the full six-day period from April 13-19, officials said. Routes A49 and D96 face shorter disruptions, detouring only from 4pm Wednesday, April 15 until 7pm Friday, April 17, 2026. Transit officials provided specific detour paths for each affected route direction, though the agency didn't specify how much additional travel time riders should expect. The staggered timeline reflects varying proximity of the routes to security zones established for the meeting.

Week-Long Implementation Period

The detours take effect at 3:30am Monday, April 13, 2026, and remain in place until 2pm Sunday, April 19. The early Monday morning start allows buses to begin detouring before the first full day of the international meeting. Officials said the Sunday afternoon end time should allow normal service to resume before the evening commute. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority encouraged passengers to sign up for MetroAlerts for real-time service updates during the detour period.

Planning Around the Detours

Riders on the three affected routes should expect longer travel times and different stop locations during the detour period, particularly those traveling westbound or southbound through Northwest DC. Officials said specific detour paths have been provided for each route direction but didn't indicate whether temporary stops will be established along alternate routes. Passengers can track their buses and view updated routes through Moovit, which provides real-time transit information for Washington Metro's bus network.