No. 15 Line

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This article describes a bus line of the Maryland Transit Administration. Information provided here is derived from old schedules and other archived resources.

The no. 15 line is a bus line operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore, Maryland and its suburbs. Its longest regular runs currently operate from the Security Square Mall to Overlea. On the west side of the route, alternative branches and short turns operate to Westview, Rutherford Business Park, Social Security, Lorraine, Mason Apartments, and Walbrook Junction. Most trips on the east end terminate at the Overlea loop at Belair Road and Northern Parkway, but selected trips continue to Perry Hall or White Marsh, and some trips have short turns in Gardenville.

[edit] History

The no. 15 line started operating in 1899 as streetcar along Belair Road. In 1948, the route was converted to a rubber tire bus operation.

In 1954, the no. 15 line was combined with the route of the no. 4 streetcar, which operated between Windsor Hills and downtown along the corridors of Poplar Grove and Edmondson Avenue.

In 1966, the no. 15 line incorporated the route of the No. 35 Line, which operated from Walbrook Junction to Lorraine. The new full route of the line ran from Lorraine to Overlea. Later expansions were made into the suburbs to accomodate future development.

In 1973, a new No. 15A Line was formed that provided express service between Kingsville and downtown along Belair Road. This line, in 1991, was renamed to the No. 43 Line, which also provided service to White Marsh. Overall, service on Belair Road in Baltimore County was always very limited. But in 1992, service on the no. 43 line was provided as express trips on the no. 15 line. The White Marsh branch was initially provided on the No. 66 Line until that line was eliminated 7 months later, at which time a White Marsh branch was formed on the no. 15 line.

In 1998, due to low ridership, Kingsville service was shortened to Perry Hall, and reduced to just seven trips daily on weekdays.

In 2003, due to an anticipated bridge closure, the route of the no. 15 line was modified in the Windsor Hills area. Buses, instead of operating through the Windsor Hills community, were routed more directly on Windsor Mill Road, bypassing this area. A new No. 68 Line was formed to provide shuttle service between Walbrook Junction and Windsor Hills.

[edit] Planned Overhaul

In 2005, as part of a plan known as the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI), MTA proposed that the no. 15 line's route would be modified, and buses from Overlea when reaching Walbrook Junction, instead of traveling to the Lorraine and Security areas, would all operate to Sinai Hospital along Garrison Boulevard (current No. 91 Line route). The route of the no. 68 line would be modified, and instead of serving Windsor Hills, would operate from Mondawmin to Security Square Mall. In addition, there would be no service north of Overlea.

This plan drew a lot of criticism from the public, which included the lack of bus service provided to Perry Hall and Windsor Hills.

MTA has seemingly scratched this plan to modify the no. 15 line, and has since made other plans for the no. 91 line, while announcing no further changes to the nos. 15 or 68 lines.