No. 44 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. 44 line is a bus line operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore, Maryland, and its suburbs. It currently runs from Rosedale Industrial Park near Pulaski Highway just outside of the Baltimore city limits to Security Square Mall, with selected peak hour trips to the Social Security Administration. In addition, early morning trips before 7 AM layover at CMS. The line operates across the northern section of the city, serving the communities of Moravia, Gardenville, Hamilton, Belvedere Park, Homeland, Roland Park, Mt. Washington, Pimlico, and Arlington, and the suburb of Woodlawn.

1 Origin
2 Criticism
3 Overhaul
4 Criticism of Overhaul
5 External Links

[edit] Origin

The no. 44 line started operating in 1946, providing crosstown service over some of Baltimore's newly built corridors, including Northern Parkway. The line operated during most of its existence from the Gwynn Oak Park loop in Woodlawn to the Hollander Ridge housing projects in East Baltimore. Extensions have been made to accommodate new developments in the city and suburbs, including most notably, the Social Security Administration's Woodlawn headquarters, which opened in 1960.

In 1973, a new branch was added to the line, which operated to Brighton, serving the Reisterstown Road Plaza and the Cross Country community. These trips operated on weekdays and Saturdays very minimally, usually less than once an hour.

In 2001, the Hollander Ridge terminus was relocated to Rosedale Industrial Park with the demolition of the Hollander Ridge projects.

[edit] Criticism

Riders have had numerous criticisms of the no. 44 line over the years. These have included the lack of service, especially during off-peak hours, and the lack of a connection to the Central Light Rail. The line operates within less than a mile of the Mt. Washington Light Rail Stop, and its route involves crossing over the line's track, but it does not actually have a connection to the line.

[edit] Overhaul

In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI), the no. 44 line was overhauled, and faced numerous changes.

All Gwynn Oak trips on the line were extended to Security Square Mall, as the line absorbed the no. M-6 line. The number of trips to the Security area was increased in frequency. The Brighton Branch was eliminated. Though service was no longer provided on the exact distinct streets served by the Brighton branch, riders were within a close walk of the no. M-10 line.

There was also consideration to reroute the no. 44 line to serve the Mt. Washington Light Rail Stop, but this plan was later scrapped because it would make buses take a longer amount of time to travel crosstown, thereby causing riders to miss connections, and finding a route was difficult a certain left turn in the area around Sinai Hospital along the most practical route is prohibited.

[edit] Criticism of Overhaul

The overhaul of the no. 44 line, which took effect on October 23, 2005, was not greeted well. Most of those who complained about the line's changes were really upset about the elimination of the no. M-6 line, which operated from the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station to the Security Boulevard area.

MTA responded these complaints by implementing a limited number of M-6 trips in March 2006, and returning the no. M-6 line to full-time status on October 8 of the same year, all while avoiding diminishing the no. 44 line's new service.