LocalLink 29 (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Route 22 (partial) |
| Founded | January 2001 (as Route 16) |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Owner | Maryland Transit Administration |
| Website | mta |
LocalLink 29 is a bus service managed by the Maryland Transit Administration operating within Baltimore. The route extends from the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station located in Northwest Baltimore to the Brooklyn Homes neighborhood in South Baltimore. It provides transit access to areas such as Rosemont, which includes Coppin State College, and traverses corridors including Hilton Street, Caton Avenue, and Patapsco Avenue. During peak travel times, certain trips also serve the Violetville Industrial Park.
History
The inception of Route 29 dates back to January 2001 when it was introduced as Route 16 following its separation from Route 22. Transit service along this corridor originally commenced in 1971 under the name 22 EXTENDED. Historically, no single transit line covered much of the current path comprehensively. For example, areas such as North Avenue were historically served by the no. 13 streetcar beginning in 1890, later replaced by the No. 31 and No. 19 streetcars—now represented by Bus Route 91. Other portions including Bloomingdale Avenue and Poplar Grove Street had service from Nos. 4 and 35 streetcars (currently Bus Route 15), while Fish House Road (present-day Patapsco Avenue) was served by Short Line Routes.
The number 16 has been assigned to various Baltimore transit lines over time. A notable example is a streetcar route running between Reservoir Hill and Fells Point from 1893 until 1948, which continued as a bus service until 1956; today, this corridor is largely served by Bus Route 5. Between 1973 and 1989, Route 16 operated between downtown Baltimore and destinations including BWI Airport, Odenton, and Ft. Meade before being replaced by express Routes 230 and 240; currently, this coverage is provided by MTA Route 17 and Connect-a-Ride Route K. Additionally, from 1993 to 1995, another Route 16 offered express trips between North Linthicum Light Rail Stop and Ft. Meade/NSA before private carriers assumed this service.
In the course of the BaltimoreLink overhaul in 2017, Route 16 was renumbered to Route 29. Concurrently, service to Violetville Industrial Park was eliminated due to insufficient passenger demand.
Origin
Since its establishment in 1947 as a successor to Route S, Route 22 encompassed an extensive loop covering nearly three-quarters of Baltimore’s perimeter until changes in 2001. Only a limited number of trips followed what is now Route 16’s alignment; most concluded at Mondawmin. To address issues related to route length and passenger confusion, MTA separated the service on this corridor into a distinct line designated as Route 16.
Upon its introduction, Route 16 provided service every half hour during peak periods and hourly during off-peak hours. Importantly, Sunday service was added—something not offered on Route 22 previously.
In 2005, under the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, MTA proposed increasing Route 16’s frequency twofold and modifying its routing through Rosemont to cover the Poplar Grove corridor. This adjustment would leave Route 51 as the sole bus serving part of Rosemont’s former path. The original proposal redirected buses westward from Gwynns Falls Parkway onto Bloomingdale Avenue, then followed the alignment of Route 15 towards Edmondson Avenue, removing the Violetville segment. After receiving feedback from riders concerned about losing access to Coppin State College, the plan was revised to replace Gwynns Falls Parkway with North Avenue while preserving Violetville service.
On October 8, 2006, midday and Saturday frequencies were doubled. Subsequent routing modifications took effect on February 17, 2009, accompanied by an increase in peak hour frequency to every fifteen minutes.