LocalLink 78 (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Bus Route N, various streetcar lines including 15 West Baltimore Street, 20 Point Breeze, and Fairmount Avenue lines |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore and surrounding suburbs |
| Products | Bus service |
| Owner | Maryland Transit Administration |
LocalLink 78, previously known as Route 20, is a bus service managed by the Maryland Transit Administration that operates throughout Baltimore and its surrounding suburbs. The route extends from Security Square Mall in the west, passing through downtown Baltimore, and terminates at Baltimore City Hall. It primarily follows corridors along Old Frederick Road, Baltimore Street, Fayette Street, and Boston Street. This line serves important neighborhoods such as Westview and Edmondson Village.
The current route has its origins in several historic streetcar lines, including the 15 West Baltimore Street, 20 Point Breeze, and Fairmount Avenue lines. Notably, the West Baltimore Street Line was Baltimore’s third streetcar route.
History
The western segment of this transit corridor was initially served by the No. 15 streetcar starting in 1899, running as far as Franklintown Road. Meanwhile, the eastern portion was covered by streetcars numbered 23 and 26 during the streetcar era. Multiple Baltimore streetcar services carried the number 20 designation over time. These included a line on Orleans Street from 1894 to 1929 before it was integrated into the No. 6 Streetcar (today’s bus route 35), the brief-lived 1930 West Arlington Jerkwater (now served by bus route 44), the Dundalk Short Line operating between 1930 and 1936, and the Point Breeze streetcar/bus service from 1940 to 1948. The latter eventually became a shuttle before being absorbed into other lines.
The modern iteration of Route 20 along Baltimore Street commenced in 1948 when it incorporated Bus Route N, which had been active since 1932 following the end of the no. 15 streetcar service on West Baltimore Street.
Subsequent expansions extended the western reach of the route to encompass Edmondson Village, Westview, Woodlawn, Rolling Road, and Security Boulevard, with layovers relocated to Security Square Mall. On the eastern end, extensions reached Dundalk Community College (Community College of Baltimore County Dundalk campus) and the Dundalk Marine Terminal.
Significant modifications occurred in October 2005 under the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative:
- All trips originating on the west side, including short-turn services at Hilton and Franklin Streets, were lengthened to terminate at Security Square Mall; concurrently, service to Social Security was discontinued.
- Eastbound trips were extended to CCBC Dundalk, except for selected weekday runs continuing to Dundalk Marine Terminal; most short-turn branches were eliminated, though some weekday short turns at Dundalk and Center Place were reinstated early in 2006 to enhance schedule reliability.
- In East Baltimore, routing shifted two blocks north from Baltimore Street onto Fayette Street, creating overlap with new Route 40 and existing Route 23. This change facilitated coordinated scheduling along a heavily trafficked corridor while reducing operational expenses.
- A proposed rerouting from Old Frederick Road to Edmondson Avenue in West Baltimore was ultimately abandoned due to concerns about passenger safety.
On February 22, 2015, as part of the initial phase of the Bus Network Improvement Project, service between Security Square Mall and City Hall was shortened with short turns at Edmondson Village. Eastern segments were replaced by newly introduced Routes 31, serving Dundalk, and 26, which expanded coverage to Dundalk Marine Terminal and the Amazon Warehouse.
In 2017, during the comprehensive system overhaul known as BaltimoreLink, Route 20 was redesignated as LocalLink 78.
In popular culture
Within Every Secret Thing authored by Laura Lippman, the story's narrator refers to intentions of traveling by bus to St. Agnes Lane close to U.S. 40, the area served by Route 20.
See also
- Route 30 (additional service)