CityLink Gold (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Route 13 |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Products | Bus service |
| Website | mta |
CityLink Gold (GD) is a bus route managed by the Maryland Transit Administration operating in Baltimore. It was introduced in 2017 as a replacement for Route 13. The route extends from Walbrook Junction in West Baltimore—located at the intersection of North Avenue, Hilton Street, and Bloomingdale Road—to Canton, primarily following North Avenue. There are two principal branches leading to Canton: one travels through Fells Point (designated Fells Point), and the other goes via Linwood and East Streets (labeled Canton). Both branches provide service to Johns Hopkins Hospital. On select weekday and Saturday runs, the route extends further to Milton Avenue, Federal Street, and Patterson Park Avenue.
In 1999, Route 13 recorded the highest farebox recovery rate among MTA bus services, nearly covering its full operational expenses.
This bus line is the successor to the former 13 North Avenue and 22 Washington Street–Canton streetcar lines.
History
Baltimore’s inaugural streetcar line, Route 13, commenced operations in 1890 along North Avenue. The no. 22 streetcar began service on Washington Avenue in 1898 and continued until 1938 when it merged into route no. 34. The no. 33 bus started running on Milton Street in 1950 and was incorporated into Route 13 by 1954—the same year the no. 13 streetcar transitioned to bus operation. In 1975, the Highlandtown portion of route no. 34 was reassigned to what is now known as Bus Route 22.
Throughout its history, Route 13 experienced minimal routing alterations. However, in 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, MTA announced significant modifications:
- Trips to Fells Point and Canton would be rerouted along Patterson Park Avenue between North Avenue and Monument Street, replacing previous alignments on Washington/Wolfe Street and Milton Street. This change aimed to streamline service and enhance access to Johns Hopkins Hospital.
- Service frequency was increased: midday and Saturday buses would run every 10 minutes (up from every 15), while Sunday service improved to every 15 minutes (previously every 20).
- Routes serving Social Security and Lower Canton branches were discontinued; riders were advised to use alternate bus lines.
These adjustments were implemented on October 23, 2005.
The reroute generated controversy due to the elimination of service along Washington/Wolfe and Milton Streets, compelling elderly passengers to walk distances up to six blocks longer. Following substantial public criticism and media scrutiny, MTA revised Route 13 on February 5, 2006:
- Trips heading to Canton and Fells Point were restored via Washington/Wolfe Streets.
- A new branch was introduced looping through Milton Street, Federal Street, and Patterson Park Avenue, operating every half hour on weekdays with limited Saturday trips designed to assist senior riders.
BaltimoreLink
With the launch of the BaltimoreLink transit reorganization on June 18, 2017, Route 13 was divided into two separate routes. CityLink Gold now covers the corridor between Walbrook Junction and Canton Crossing, whereas LocalLink 21 serves the Highlandtown segment and extends northward to the Woodberry Light Rail station.
In theater
In 2010, Run of the Mill Theater created six short plays of approximately fifteen minutes each inspired by Route 13. These works were developed through experiences on the bus route and interviews with its passengers.
Hopkins Express
In the past, multiple services known as Hopkins Express provided direct routes to Johns Hopkins Hospital, identified as Route 13. In the year 2000, these routes underwent renaming: the segment serving Towson was redesignated as Route 103 (branching from Route 8), while the branch to Cromwell Bridge Park-and-Ride was renamed Route 104 (branching from Route 3).
With the introduction of the 2005 Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI), Route 103 was discontinued; however, Route 104 continued to operate and remains in service. Presently, Route 104 offers a single southbound trip during weekday morning rush hours and one northbound trip during weekday evening peak times.