CityLink Pink (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1916 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Products | Bus service |
CityLink Pink (PK) is a bus route managed by the Maryland Transit Administration serving the city of Baltimore. Its path extends from the Cedonia neighborhood in northeast Baltimore to the West Baltimore MARC station.
This service replaces the earlier streetcar lines known as 5 Druid Hill Avenue, 27 Federal Street, and Preston Street, as well as the former Route 5 bus.
History
The number 5 designation dates back to 1916, initially assigned to a streetcar line before transitioning to bus operation. It primarily served the Maryland Route 129 corridor along with other parts of Baltimore. Over the years, this route has undergone numerous modifications including extensions, divisions, and cutbacks.
Streetcar Era
Route 5 commenced service in 1916 following a separation from the no. 3 streetcar line, although the track had been electrified since 1892 under different route numbers. Its trajectory stretched from Emory Grove near Reisterstown, passing through Pikesville and continuing along Park Heights Avenue past Pimlico Race Course. Between 1924 and the streetcar’s discontinuation in 1948, line no. 33 shared tracks between Park Heights and Gwynn Oak.
The line traversed Reservoir Hill before heading downtown, where frequent adjustments were made over time. The Reservoir Hill segment was eliminated but later reinstated in 1996 after discontinuation of Bus Route 28, which had served that area. Route 28 operated along the Liberty Road/Liberty Heights Avenue corridor—currently covered by Routes 52, 54, and 57—traveling through downtown and along Russell Street to reach the Cherry Hill neighborhood, now served by Routes 27 and 29.
In 1921, Route 5 expanded its reach to include Patterson Park after merging with additional lines.
By 1932, streetcar service on Route 5 was truncated to terminate at Pikesville, with bus routes replacing service between Pikesville and Reisterstown. Initial bus coverage to Reisterstown was provided by Route M (distinct from current M-lines), followed later by Route 7. Presently, Routes 56 and 59 operate along Reisterstown Road connecting Pikesville and Reisterstown.
In 1938, the route was further shortened to end at Manhattan Avenue near Park Heights Avenue and Northern Parkway.
Bus Operation
The streetcar service on Route 5 ceased in 1948, replaced by bus operations. The combined Route 5/7 bus followed the same alignment and extended service to Glyndon. By 1959, these services were divided into two separate routes: Route 5 operating along Park Heights Avenue and Route 7 serving Reisterstown Road.
In 1973, additional branches were introduced to cover Stevenson, Caves Road, and Greenwood areas via Villa Julie College.
Impact of the Baltimore Metro
Following the June 1984 opening of the initial phase of the Baltimore Metro Subway, Route 5 was shortened to terminate at Mondawmin during Metro operating hours. A new Route M-3 took over service along Park Heights Avenue up to Slade Avenue while Route 5 continued beyond Slade Avenue outside Metro hours.
In 1996, weekday and Saturday trips on Route 5 resumed passage through Reservoir Hill after most of Route 28 was discontinued; Sunday service continued to bypass this neighborhood. By 2001, Sunday trips to Slade Avenue were discontinued with introduction of Sunday Metro Connection service that routed all Sunday journeys via Reservoir Hill.
During the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI) in 2005, there were plans to transfer Reservoir Hill service from Route 5 to other routes—initially a reinstated Route 28, then adjustments to Route 97—but none of these proposals were enacted, leaving Route 5 unchanged.
BaltimoreLink
On June 18, 2017, Route 5 was restructured under BaltimoreLink into multiple routes: CityLink Pink took over the eastern section, CityLink Yellow served the Reservoir Hill area, and CityLink Purple operated along the western stretch.