Route M-9 (Baltimore)
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Route M-9 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore, Maryland, United States and its northwestern suburbs. It currently runs from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station Northwest Baltimore to a bus loop in Glyndon. The line operates primarily along Reisterstown Road with a deviation to serve the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station and Town Center, and also serves the intermediate communities of Pikesville, Garrison, and Reisterstown. The bus route is the successor to the Emory Grove streetcar line.
[edit] History
Route M-9 started operating in 1987, terminating then in the north at the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station. At that time, only early morning trips served the Owings Mills Town Center. Two other lines served the remaining portion of today's route. Route M-16 ran from Owings Mills to Reisterstown, and Route M-17 shuttled passengers between the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station and Town Center. In addition, Sunday service was not provided on this line, but rather on Route 7.
In 1992, the Route M-17 shuttle was discontinued, and all trips on Route M-9 were extended to the Owings Mills Town Center, except for selected rush hour trips, which were routed to the Business Center at Owings Mills. This new branch was added because Route M-15, which previously served this area, was eliminated. Also, peak hour service was reduced to one bus every 37 minutes, then the off-peak frequency. During the next 5 years, riders complained about the inefficiency of bus service over the Reisterstown Road corridor in Baltimore County.
In 1997, Route M-9 was combined with Route M-16, and all trips were extended to Reisterstown, with selected trips to Chartley (then a branch of Route M-16). This provided single-seat service along all portions of Reisterstown Road in Baltimore County, as well as improved service to Route M-16 and to the Owings Mills Town Center. A new Route M-17 was also formed that provided peak hour service to the Business Center at Owings Mills. This change slightly reduced service along the original portion of Route M-9, but simplified its schedule to more evenly divisible numbers and improved its efficiency.
In 2001, Sunday service was added to Route M-9, following the same schedule as Saturday service. The Chartley branch was discontinued, and all trips now operate to the Glyndon loop.
[edit] History of bus service along the route
Prior to the existence of Route M-9, the Reisterstown Road corridor of Baltimore County was served by several other routes.
Between 1984 and 1987, there were two lines operating in this area, both originating from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station, then the northern-most stop on the subway line. Route P-1 went to Reisterstown, and Route P-4 to the Owings Mills Town Center.
Between 1959 and 1984, the corridor was served by Route 7, which operated between Glyndon and Canton. Route 7 operated downtown along Reisterstown Road and Pennsylvania Avenue, with various other branches, including Milford Mill.
Prior to 1959, service to Glyndon was provided by Route 5.
Route 7 continued to provide service to Reisterstown on Sundays until 2001, when full-time Sunday Metro Subway and Metro Connection bus service was added. Until this date, Route 7 also provided service to Pikesville between midnight and 2 AM daily.
