MTA Maryland Metro connection services
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Metro connection bus route of the Maryland Transit Administration is a bus route that operates between two Metro Subway stations, or between a Metro Station and some other location, usually in the suburbs. The first Metro connection routes were introduced in 1984, and had designations of the letters M (Mondawmin), R (Rogers Avenue), or P (Reisterstown Plaza), followed by a number. But in 1987, as more Metro stations opened and the structure of these routes was modified, all such routes were given the "M" designation, which was changed to refer to "Metro" rather than "Mondawmin."
Over the years, the number of M-lines has gradually been reduced, as some of the routes have been eliminated due to low ridership, or consolidated with others.
Contents |
[edit] Current Metro connection routes
[edit] Route 56
Route 56 currently runs from the Owings Mills Town Center to Reisterstown via the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station. The line, which was a split-off from Route M-9, resembles the former Route M-16. Service started operating on February 17, 2008.
[edit] Route 59
Route 59 currently runs from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station to the Owings Mills Town Center. The line was a split-off from Route M-9, and resembles the pre-1997 routes of Route M-9. Service started operating on February 17, 2008.
[edit] Route M-1
Route M-1 currently runs from the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station along Liberty Heights Avenue and Liberty Road to a loop known as "Milford Mill" (not to be confused with the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station). This loop is composed of a square block, consisting of Liberty Road, Rolling Road, Church Lane, and Milford Mill Road.
The bus route is the successor to part of the 32 Woodlawn streetcar line. Bus service along its route has also been provided in the past by the now-defunct Route 28, which operated daily on this route until 1984, and during late nights and Sundays only until 2001, when the line completely ceased operation. At times, this service was also supplemented by Route 37.
Route M-1 started operating in 1984 along its present route. However, in 1988, it was combined with Route M-13, and selected trips were extended along Milford Mill Road to the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station. In addition, other trips operated between the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station and a community off Scotts Level Road in Pikesville known as Bellemore Farms. This replaced a branch of Route M-13.
The line continued following this route for the next 15 years, with the only change being the addition of Sunday service in 2001, when Sunday service was introduced on all M-lines.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, a comprehensive overhaul plan for the region's transit system, the line returned to its pre-1988 route, as all service along Milford Mill Road was provided by the rerouted Route M-8. No service was provided to Bellemore Farms.
[edit] Route M-2
Route M-2 currently runs from the Old Court Metro Subway Station in Pikesville, Maryland to the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station in Northwest Baltimore along Old Court Road and Reisterstown Road, and serves Park Heights and the Reisterstown Road Plaza.
It is the successor to Bus Route 7, which still operates south of Mondawmin. Route 7 operated along Reisterstown Road outside the Metro's hours of operation until 2001.
Route M-2 started operating in 1984 after the Baltimore Metro's first segment opened, and Route 7 was split. It then originated and terminated in the north near Reisterstown & Old Court Roads in Pikesville's central business district. At that time, the Old Court Metro Subway Station had not yet opened, and the segment of Old Court Road on which this line currently operates was served by Route 77.
In 1987, when the Metro was extended to Owings Mills, Route M-2 was extended to the Old Court Metro Subway Station. Since then, the line's route has never changed. Only minor schedule changes have been made, and in 2001, Sunday service was added.
In 1993, as a cost-saving measure, MTA started to close three of its Metro stations, including Old Court, at 8 PM, and for trains running later than this time to bypass these stops. This made travel more difficult for riders of Route M-2 accustomed to transferring in this area. MTA reopened all these stations in the evening in 2001.
[edit] Route M-3
Route M-3 currently runs from the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station in Pikesville, Maryland to the intersection of Cumberland and Carey Streets near the Penn-North Metro Subway Station. The line serves the communities of Park Heights, Pimlico, and Mondawmin.
The bus is the successor to the Route 5 bus (1948-1984) and the Park Heights Avenue streetcar line, which was designated Route 5 1916-1948, and with other numberical designations 1892-1916. Route 5 buses continued to operate on Park Heights Avenue outside of Metro's hours of operations until 2001, when Metro service and M-lines started operating on Sundays.
Route M-3 started operating in 1984 after the opening of the Baltimore Metro between the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station and the intersection of Park Heights Avenue and Slade Avenue, looping via Slade, Reisterstown Road, and Seven Mile Lane. At that time, it replaced a portion of Route 5 that served Park Heights Avenue on weekdays and Saturdays, and was branded as one of the Metro Connection Routes.
A year later, in 1985, the line was extended south to the Penn-North Metro Station.
In 1987, with the extension of the Metro to Owings Mills, the line was extended to the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station. The line has followed the exact routing since that day, with the exception of a few years during the 1990s, when selected trips served the Greenhill Apartments in Lower Park Heights. The Route 97 Mondawmin Shuttle has since taken over this function.
In 2006, as a part of GBBI Phase II that was never implemented, MTA proposed to combine route M-3 with Route M-8 and extend alternating trips on the line to Randallstown.
[edit] Route M-6
Route M-6 currently runs from the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station in Northwest Baltimore to Security Square Mall, with selected trips to the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn. The line serves the intermediate communities of Howard Park, Gwynn Oak, and Windsor Mill.
The route is the successor to the 32 Woodlawn and 33 West Arlington streetcar lines and the Route 28 bus.
Route M-6 started operating under that designation in 1987 after replacing Route R-3, which had operated since 1984 and followed the identical route. Prior to 1984, the area had been served by other bus lines, mostly Route 28, which had branches feeding into Liberty Heights Avenue. These services operated on Sundays until 2001, when Route M-6 started operating on Sundays. Route M-6 has only had minor routing and schedule changes since, with the exception of a controversial elimination in 2005 that was later reversed.
In October 2005, MTA eliminated Route M-6 from service completely, and extended all trips on Route 44 to either Security Square Mall or Social Security to replace the service. It was noted in literature produced by MTA that service on this line was to be provided by Route 44. But this was not how riders and community activists viewed the change.
The elimination of Route M-6 was criticized as follows:
- Route 44 takes a slightly different route from Route M-6. Though this route is more direct while traveling to the Woodlawn area, it does not serve various side streets in the Howard Park community of Northwest Baltimore, an area populated by many senior citizens. These elderly residents were forced to walk several blocks in order to reach a bus line, one that operates in a very different direction.
- Route 44 is a long route, running for about an hour prior to reaching the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station. The service is far less reliable when attempting to reach the Security area from the Metro subway.
- Fewer trips were provided on Route 44 than were provided by Route M-6, especially during evenings and weekends. Also, Route 44 was overcrowded at these points.
In the weeks immediately following the elimination, community activists and delegates were told by MTA that Route M-6 service would not be restored, despite these complaints. MTA stated that Route 44 provided sufficient service, and only a small percentage of riders were negatively affected.
In March 2006, under extreme pressure from the community, MTA restored eight round trips on weekdays to Route M-6. MTA stated that this act was a compromise in exchange for hushing all other complaints against MTA in reference to this and other recent and planned changes in route. But rider advocates were not satisfied. These trips operated hourly during peak hours only. Activists continued to put pressure on MTA.
In October 2006, exactly 50 weeks after its original elimination, full-time service was restored on Route M-6. This took place at a time when officials were facing re-election. This change did not help the outgoing administration win re-election, but it did restore the line to its full-time, 7-day-a-week status[1].
[edit] Route M-8
Route M-8 currently runs from the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station in Pikesville, Maryland to a bus loop in Randallstown, and serves Sudbrook Park, Milford Mill, and Rockdale.
It is the successor to bus route nos. 54 and 28. Route 28 continued to operate on Liberty Road outside of Metro's hours of operation up until 2001, when Route M-8 started operating on Sundays.
Route M-8 started operating in 1987, originating from the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station, but briefly originated from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station.
In 1997, MTA proposed to extend this line about a mile west of Randallstown to the intersection of Deer Park and Winands Roads in Kings Point. This plan was in response to the many riders who are forced to walk beyond the current loop to reach the residential and commercial development not served by any public bus line. However, this plan was scrapped less than three weeks before it was scheduled to be implemented as a result of community opposition.
Sunday service was added in 2001, following a schedule identical to Saturday. Though the route was not extended beyond the Randallstown loop, the community expressed concern over the additional buses[2].
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, a comprehensive overhaul plan for the region's transit system, Route M-8 line was greatly modified. From Randallstown, buses were routed to Milford Mill rather than the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station. This change was controversial, and it faced with a lot of criticism.
Originally, the line was also going to be extended beyond the Randallstown loop to the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station along McDonough Road. But this extension was opposed by the middle class communities along the narrow streets of Randallstown [3].
The new route of Route M-8 does not serve a portion of Liberty Road between Milford Mill Road and the city line served by the line's old route. Riders wishing to reach these areas must now transfer to Route M-1, which involves crossing the busy street while traveling eastbound. The route also lost its direct connection to many other bus lines found at its former Rogers Avenue terminus.
MTA has attempted to address some of these concerns. A plan introduced in 2006 would have involved combining Route M-8 line with Route M-3. This would have provided single-seat service between Randallstown and northwest Baltimore's Park Heights community, and would have re-established a direct link between Randallstown and many lines found at Rogers Avenue. The line would have also had a minor routing change in the Milford Mill area that would have eliminated the need to cross a busy street during transfer to Route M-1. But in 2007, GBBI was canceled, and this change is yet to be implemented or reproprosed.
[edit] Route M-10
Route M-10 currently runs from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station to the Mt. Washington Light Rail Stop (both in Northwest Baltimore), with weekday midday trips continuing to Greenspring Station, and rush hour trips continuing beyond there to Villa Julie College. The line serves Upper Park Heights, Cheswolde, Fallstaff, Ranchleigh, Smith Avenue and Falls Road.
Route M-10 line started operating in 1987 as the successor to Route P-7, which was the successor to Route 58, though the routes of these lines varied at times. On its inaugural date, the line operated along a slightly different route that did not serve Cheswolde or Mt. Washington. In 1992, in conjunction with the opening of the Central Light Rail, Route M-10 was combined with Route M-5 (formerly Route R-2, and modified to serve portions of M-5's route and the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station.
In 1998, two daily trips that operated via Old Court Road and Greenspring Avenue, were eliminated. Midday service was reduced, and Saturday service, which was eliminated in 1992, was reintroduced. Sunday service was introduced in 2001.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, MTA proposed to eliminated all service on Old Pimlico and Falls Roads, and to shorten the route to the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station. As a result of public outcry, service to Greenspring Station was not eliminated, but was doubled in rush hour and tripled in midday frequency. Additionally, rush hour trips were extended to Villa Julie College to counter complaints from students and others about the elimination of the Route M-12 service to the campus[4].
[edit] Route M-17
Route M-17 currently runs on weekdays during peak hours only from the Business Center at Owings Mills to the business corridor of Red Run Boulevard via the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station. Additionally, selected trips late at night and at other day times on weekends operate between the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station and Rosewood Center.
The line started operating in 1997 as a replacement for various branches of Route M-9 and M-16, which at that time, were consolidated to form a single route with no special branches in Owings Mills. Its route then was very simple, operating from the Owings Mills Corporate Campus to the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station, then to the Business Center at Owings Mills on Crondall Lane via its most direct route. Service was provided every 30 minutes during AM and PM rush hour only on weekdays, using a single bus.
For its first year of operation, the line followed this route. Then, early in 1998, the route was expanded to serve a new office center for T. Rowe Price, and the route it took to reach the Business Center at Owings Mills was modified to serve the Rosewood campus. Intervals were reduced to 40 minutes, and only 4 round trips were provided during each rush hour.
Later the same year, the line was further expanded and extended along the new Red Run Boulevard business corridor, and a second bus was added to circulation, improving the frequency to 30 minutes.
Midday service was introduced briefly in 1999, but was soon eliminated due to low ridership.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, the portions of the route serving the Owings Mills Corporate Campus and T. Rowe Price were eliminated due to low ridership and to improve the efficiency of service[5]. Additionally, late evening and weekend trips to Rosewood Center were added, replacing this service on the discontinued Route 102[6].
[edit] External links
- Route M-1 schedulePDF (289 KiB)
- Route M-2 schedule
- Route M-3 schedulePDF (545 KiB)
- Route M-6 schedule
- Route M-9 schedulePDF (119 KiB)
- Route M-10 schedule
- Route M-17 schedule
[edit] References
- Michael Dresser, Baltimore Sun, Northwest Baltimore bus route to return, October 6, 2006
