LocalLink 28 (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Owner | Maryland Transit Administration |
| Website | https://mta.maryland.gov/ |
LocalLink 28 is a bus service managed by the Maryland Transit Administration serving the city of Baltimore. The route extends from the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station located in Northwest Baltimore to a turnaround loop in the Moravia area of Northeast Baltimore. During peak periods, buses arrive every 10 to 15 minutes, with midday intervals of 20 minutes, Saturdays operating every half hour, and Sunday service running on an hourly schedule. This line mainly travels along the cross-town corridor formed by Coldspring Lane and Moravia Road, providing transit access to neighborhoods such as Arlington, Park Heights, Roland Park, Homeland, and Montebello. Additionally, it links several prominent academic institutions including Loyola College, Notre Dame, and Morgan State University.
History
The earliest bus route on Coldspring Lane was known as the no. 35 bus, which operated briefly between 1968 and 1969. It experienced strong ridership during morning trips to Morgan State and afternoon returns but suffered from very low passenger numbers on reverse trips, resulting in its termination.
The number 33 has previously been assigned to three different Baltimore routes: a streetcar line in Arlington near where the current Route 33 runs; a Hudson Street streetcar from 1920 to 1924 that was later merged into the no. 18 streetcar (now bus route 7); and a Milton Street bus service from 1950 to 1954 that has since become part of Route 13.
The present-day Route 33 began operations in 1977 as a trial weekday service running during rush hours and midday between Arlington and Morgan State, without evening or weekend runs. Approximately one year later, rush hour trips were extended to the Moravia loop, while midday service reached Montebello State Hospital.
This service pattern remained stable until 1986 when evening and Saturday operations were introduced—weekday service extended until 10 PM and Saturday buses ran every 90 minutes with a single vehicle. In 1993, all trips were lengthened to terminate at Moravia; midday frequencies improved from every 50 minutes to every 35 minutes; evening hours were extended until midnight; and Saturday service was increased to run every 45 minutes.
Sunday service commenced in 1995 with buses operating every 90 minutes. In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI), Route 33 was unexpectedly lengthened to reach Eastpoint Mall via North Point Boulevard and Armistead Gardens after public resistance prevented reductions on other routes. This extension caused a slight decrease in frequency except on Sundays but was subsequently enhanced in 2006.
Within three months, the route was further extended by about one mile to the Essex Park-and-Ride lot for operational reasons; later modifications redirected service from Eastern Avenue onto Rolling Mill Road.
On August 30, 2009, all trips were shortened back to terminate at the Moravia loop. Meanwhile, Route 24 was extended westward from Middle River to cover southern sections previously served.
In the year 2017, as part of the BaltimoreLink overhaul, Route 33 was redesignated as Route 28.