Columbia Pike–National Landing Line

The 16M operates daily from Four Mile Run Division. Route 16M operates between Skyline City and Crystal City station, providing local stops through Columbia Pike. The 16M also runs through other neighborhoods in Columbia Pike, such as Barcroft, Arlington Heights, and Penrose, including a portion of Leesburg Pike to expand service to the marketplace of Skyline City. The name of National Landing comes from joining parts of the Crystal City and Pentagon City neighborhoods, alongside the location of the Amazon HQ2 headquarters.[2][3][4]

Route 16M is part of the Pike Ride route since the first day of service, and is the first new line, after its formation in 2003, to be introduced to the Pike Ride corridor.[5] This line was previously known as the Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line, the predecessor of the line.[1]

Route 16H previously operated between Crystal City Station and Skyline City in 2010, until Metroway, WMATA's bus rapid transit, extended to Pentagon City on March 27, 2016. Since then, route 16H stopped serving Crystal City, and truncated back to Pentagon City since then.[6][7] During this service, route 16H was known as Columbia Heights West–Pentagon City Line. The first day of Columbia Pike service to Crystal City began on September 25, 2005, when route 16H was rerouted and extended within the original terminals between Barcroft (S. Four Mile Run Drive) and Pentagon City Station.[8] Within the years, Route 16H was proposed in options in 2011, with the discontinuation of service between Pentagon City station and Crystal City station, before the Metroway Bus Rapid Transit service began.[9]

Proposals of bus consolidations began for WMATAs 2021 Fiscal Year budget, when WMATA proposed to combined routes 16G and 16H into a single route. Route 16G was originally proposed to be replaced by 16H, and Arlington Transit routes 41, 45 and 75 as part of Arlington County countywide transit development plan.[10] However WMATA later backed out the merger of the 16G and the 16H on April 2, 2020, keeping both routes as separate routes due to budget reasons.[11][12]

The second proposal of bus consolidation came in during WMATAs 2024 Fiscal Year budget, when WMATA proposed to consolidate 16G and 16H, however it would be extended to Crystal City station and be renamed into Route 16M. These changes will restore the 16H route that was discontinued back in March 2016.[13] Following the announcement of the 16M, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by Arlington County, was held at the Arlington Mill Community Center as a start of the 16M bus service.[14]