LocalLink 56 (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Public transit bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Route 35 |
| Founded | June 2017 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore and surrounding suburbs |
| Owner | Maryland Transit Administration |
LocalLink Route 56 is a bus route managed by the Maryland Transit Administration that serves Baltimore and its surrounding suburbs. This route operates between the Park and Ride facility located in White Marsh and Charles Center in Downtown Baltimore. Introduced in June 2017, LocalLink 56 took over from the previous Route 35, which connected downtown Baltimore with White Marsh to the east and UMBC to the west. Prior to Route 35, the corridor was served by the No. 3 Wilkens Avenue and No. 6 Monument Street streetcar lines.
BaltimoreLink rebranding
In June 2017, as part of a comprehensive overhaul and rebranding of Baltimore's transit network, the former Route 35—linking Downtown Baltimore with White Marsh and UMBC—was discontinued. Presently, service between White Marsh and Downtown is maintained by CityLink Brown along with LocalLink 56. Transit options for UMBC are now covered by LocalLink 37 and LocalLink 32, although these routes no longer provide direct access to downtown.
Route 35 history
Route 35 commenced operations on May 1, 1970, running between Oliver Beach and downtown Baltimore along the Philadelphia Road/Pulaski Highway corridor. The route was extended in 1971 to reach Bowleys Quarters. Before this period, multiple bus and streetcar lines served these areas, including a streetcar operating from Lorraine to downtown between 1920 and 1929; this was later converted into bus service and incorporated into Route 15 by 1966. The Route 35 designation had also been briefly applied to shuttle services connecting UMBC with Catonsville Community College in 1966 (now known as Route 77) and a bus route along Coldspring Lane during 1968–1969.
Starting in 1900, the No. 9 Halethorpe Streetcar covered Wilkens Avenue before merging into the No. 3 Streetcar Line in 1926. This service was replaced by Bus Route 12 in 1948, which was subsequently absorbed into Route 3. Route 3 continued until its division in 1987, after which the southern segment became Route 31, serving Wilkens Avenue until its discontinuation in 2005.
On Baltimore’s east side, Monument Street was served initially by the No. 4 Streetcar from 1894 until it was succeeded by the No. 6 Curtis Bay Streetcar in 1935; this line transitioned to bus service in 1948.
In 1970, Bus Route 35 operated between Franklin Square Hospital Center and downtown Baltimore via Philadelphia Road. Its path included Pulaski Highway and Monument Streets, with stops at locations such as Johns Hopkins Hospital, terminating at the University of Maryland Transit Center. Off-peak service was limited, with buses running every two to three hours outside rush periods. Until the mid-1990s, all trips ran express with few stops and required an additional fare.
In 1977, Bus Route 6 was divided into four separate lines; among them Route 62 was established to serve the corridor between Hollander Ridge and the Inner Harbor. For over twenty years, Routes 35 and 62 overlapped within Baltimore City boundaries—Route 35 primarily covering county areas with some deviations.
Over time, various branches extended service to locations such as Essex Community College, Chesaco Park, Marshfield Business Park, Oliver Beach (which shifted to Route 24 in 1988), and King Avenue (extended in 1994).
In autumn of 1992, MTA proposed ending weekend service on Route 35 due to low ridership; after public opposition, weekend operations were temporarily maintained by a private contractor before being discontinued once more. Weekend service was ultimately restored in the year 2000.
By 1997, all Route 35 trips were lengthened to reach White Marsh without increasing frequency; midday service intervals grew longer due to extended routing but it became the most frequent bus serving White Marsh Mall.
The most significant expansion occurred in 2000 when Routes 35 and 62 were combined. This consolidation allowed for consistent hourly service to White Marsh at all times with some trips short-turning at the city line near Armistead Gardens.
In connection with the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative in 2005, Route 35 merged with Route 31 and extended westward to UMBC. All trips operated through to White Marsh without short turns. Initially designated Route 31/35, it reverted back to Route 35 on February 5, 2006.
Revisions to the Service
The restructuring removed all variations from the primary path of Route 35. While certain segments remained accessible via alternative routes, other locations experienced the cessation of MTA bus operations.
- Route 33 extended its route southward from Moravia to Eastpoint Mall, incorporating Armistead Gardens to minimize walking distances for passengers.
- Route 4 expanded its northern reach past Franklin Square Hospital to include the CCBC Essex campus, a change later mirrored by Route 24.
- Route 55 maintained coverage of the Golden Ring Road and Kenwood Avenue junction in Rosedale.
- Service to Chesaco Park was terminated.
With the introduction of the BaltimoreLink network in June 2017, Route 35 was officially discontinued.