LocalLink 54 (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Public transit bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Route 19 streetcar line |
| Founded | 1956 (as bus service) |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore and surrounding suburbs |
| Products | Bus service |
| Parent | Maryland Transit Administration |
LocalLink 54 is a bus route managed by the Maryland Transit Administration that connects Baltimore with its surrounding suburbs. Previously designated as Route 19 until 2017, it operates between the State Center Metro Subway Station and the junction of Harford Road and Northern Parkway. At this point, the route divides into two branches: roughly half proceed northward along Harford Road to the Carney Park-and-Ride facility near the I-695 interchange, while the remainder travel to Goucher Boulevard and Taylor Avenue in Towson, following Northern Parkway, McLean Boulevard, Hillsway, and Taylor Avenue. The line serves important neighborhoods such as Montebello, Hamilton, and Parkville.
This service is the modern iteration of the former 19 Harford Avenue streetcar line.
History
The number 19 route began as an electric streetcar line along Harford Road in 1894, terminating in Parkville without reaching Carney. Between 1936 and 1948, transit between Parkville and Carney was provided by Bus Route R, followed by Bus Route 53 from 1948 until 1956. When the no. 19 line transitioned to bus service in 1956, it extended its coverage to include Carney.
In 1952, Route 19 merged with the no. 31 streetcar route and lengthened its path to Garrison Boulevard in West Baltimore. The conversion to bus operation with rubber tires occurred in 1956.
Over the following decades, Route 19 expanded its reach along Belvedere Avenue to Sinai Hospital and further north to the Carney Park-and-Ride. Additional branches were introduced serving Northern Parkway, McLean Boulevard, Walther Avenue, Joppa Heights, and Hickey School. Express services utilizing I-95 were also made available.
To enhance reliability in 1987, Route 19 was divided into two separate lines: the new Route 19 ran from State Center northward along Harford Road, while Route 91 covered the western portion from Sinai Hospital to City Hall.
During the 1990s:
- The McLean branch was extended to Goucher & Taylor with full-time operations overlapping part of Route 55.
- The Walther Avenue branch was discontinued.
- Express services via I-95 were terminated.
Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative
As part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI) in 2005, the MTA proposed removing the Joppa Heights and Hickey School branches; however, no modifications occurred during Phase I.
In 2006, two alternative proposals were presented: one suggested truncating the line at Lexington Market; another recommended splitting Route 19 into two routes—maintaining Route 19 from Carney to State Center with some minor downtown rerouting and service every thirty minutes, alongside introducing Route 37, which would run from Goucher & Taylor to Cherry Hill via downtown and along Route 27’s corridor. These routes were planned to operate on alternating schedules with coordinated timing.
None of these plans were enacted before GBBI was discontinued in 2007. Still, in 2009, the Joppa Heights and Hickey School branches were eliminated without additional changes to other services.
Route 19A
In 1973, Route 19A was launched starting at the Carney Park-and-Ride and traveling downtown via an alternate alignment. It replaced a former service operated by the now-defunct McMahon Services. This route offered a single morning trip from Carney to downtown and one evening return trip. It served areas along Harford Road north of the Park-and-Ride including Cub Hill, then proceeded along Old Harford Road covering portions of Parkville and Towson that previously lacked bus service before reaching Charles Street in Rodgers Forge and continuing directly downtown. In 2000, this route was redesignated as Route 105.
Due to low patronage, Route 105 was discontinued in October 2005 without any replacement service provided. Passengers were encouraged to use nearby routes accessible within walking distance.
In popular culture
- The 2004 movie A Dirty Shame features a depiction of a Route 19 bus
References
- Baltimore Streetcars, authored by Herbert H. Harwood and Paul W. Wirtz, pages 104-105