LocalLink 94 (BaltimoreLink)
| Company type | Public transit bus route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Products | Bus service |
| Owner | Maryland Transit Administration |
LocalLink 94, previously known as Route 27, is a bus route managed by the Maryland Transit Administration serving the city of Baltimore. This line travels from Sinai Hospital located in northwest Baltimore down to Fort McHenry in South Baltimore, passing through the downtown area. It connects significant neighborhoods such as Levindale, Mt. Washington, Cross Keys, Hampden, and South Baltimore. LocalLink 94 replaces the earlier 10 Roland Park, 12 Westport, and 25 Mount Washington streetcar line services.
History
The northern segment of today's Route 27 closely traces the path of the historic No. 25 streetcar line from Baltimore’s streetcar period. Notably, the Hampden line holds the distinction of being America's first electric streetcar. The No. 25 designation was applied to Falls Road service until 1959, after which it was assigned to Route 10 until 1982, and subsequently to Route 27.
The No. 25 streetcar commenced operations in 1897 along Falls Road with the intent to connect toward Pennsylvania. Its service extended to Gwynn Oak Junction and included branches reaching Cheswolde and Pikesville. In 1901, the route was realigned to cover Remington and Hampden areas. By 1923, its northern terminus was shortened from Pikesville to Key Avenue in Cheswolde, while the southern endpoint was set at Camden Station by 1936.
The transition from streetcars to bus service was gradual, beginning in 1949. The No. 25 bus route operated between Mt. Washington and Camden Station during this period, while other streetcars continued serving nearby districts. By 1951, bus service had been extended to the Belvedere loop. Service designated as No. 47 eventually merged into Route 5 and later became part of Route 58. In 1959, the No. 25 bus was incorporated into Route 10, retaining this identity until 1982; during this time, dual routing through North Baltimore persisted until 2008.
In 1970, the No. 25 label was reassigned to a line run by the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.
To improve scheduling reliability in 1982, Route 10 was divided; its northern section became No. 27 since No. 25 was already allocated to the museum line. Initially sharing downtown segments with Route 10, Routes 10 and 27 were later adjusted to intersect solely within downtown Baltimore.
Historically, the No. 27 designation referred to the Washington Boulevard streetcar starting in 1905, which transitioned first to trolley bus operation in 1938 and then to conventional bus service by 1957. This route absorbed Route 52 and extended service to Lansdowne before merging into Route 11 in 1959; it was subsequently split into Route 36 in 2008.
Following the inauguration of the Central Light Rail in 1992, Route 27's southern terminus was curtailed at Camden Yards; service between Howard Street and Little Italy was eliminated and frequency reduced due to overlapping light rail coverage.
By 1996, Route 28 ceased operations except on Sundays; its routes were absorbed by other lines, with some trips on Route 27 extended southwards during evenings to Cherry Hill Light Rail Stop or Baltimore Highlands.
Later modifications extended all trips along Route 27 through Cherry Hill to Port Covington, supplementing Route 29's service.
In response to the relocation of Baltimore's Greyhound terminal near Russell Street in 2004—which had limited Route 27 service since 1996—frequency enhancements were made alongside a route deviation into the terminal’s parking area after local officials advocated for improved transit accessibility.
The Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative (GBBI) proposed in 2005 aimed to discontinue Route 27 entirely by redistributing its coverage among Routes 15 (extended northward to Sinai Hospital), a new Route 28 connecting Sinai Hospital and Mt. Washington, an extended Route 64 heading northbound, and Route 29 covering Russell Street and Cherry Hill; however, initial plans excluded coverage for Seton Business Park, Roland Avenue, and Port Covington.
Following public resistance, MTA postponed these changes in early 2006 and revised their approach: maintaining Belvedere Avenue service through Routes 91 and a new M-5; adjusting Route 98 Hampden Shuttle for seniors on Roland Avenue (implemented February 2008); proposing a new Route 37 for Russell Street and Cherry Hill with an extension of Route 29 reaching Port Covington.
With GBBI’s cancellation in June 2007, MTA suggested minor alterations later that year preserving much of Route 27: consistent Falls Road service via Roland Park with modified coverage by Route 98; operational adjustments within Remington for improved efficiency.
Partial implementation of these plans took place in February 2008 while some proposals were deferred.
As part of the comprehensive BaltimoreLink transit overhaul launched in 2017, Route 27 was discontinued altogether. Its central Falls Road segment from Levindale through Downtown was replaced by LocalLink 94; Belvedere Avenue service transitioned to LocalLink 31; Seton Business Park connections were taken over by LocalLink 82; Russell Street south of Downtown became served by LocalLink 73; and Cherry Hill coverage shifted to LocalLink 26.
June 2011
Midday weekday service intervals were modified to operate every 40 minutes.
December 2007 assault
On December 4, 2007, a high-profile assault took place aboard a Route 27 bus, involving four individuals, including the driver. Nine teenagers, all aged between 14 and 15 and attending Robert Poole Middle School, faced charges. Initially treated as a hate crime due to racial elements—perpetrators were African American while most victims were white—the hate crime allegations were later dismissed because of insufficient evidence. However, assault charges persisted. This event prompted legislative initiatives aimed at increasing penalties for assaults on bus drivers or passengers.
Incident
At approximately 3 p.m., a Route 27 "school tripper" bus departed from Robert Poole Middle School heading toward Port Covington. Passengers Sarah Kreager and Troy Ennis boarded and sought to sit near the rear. A suspect denied Kreager a seat, resulting in conflicting narratives: the suspects alleged Kreager spat at them and used racial slurs, which Kreager denied. Subsequently, Kreager and Ennis were assaulted by the suspects. The bus halted at West 33rd Street and Chestnut Avenue, where the driver contacted Maryland Transit Administration Police. Both a senior passenger and the driver attempted to intervene but were also attacked. The confrontation caused damage to the bus’s rear door, window, and seating. Kreager was forcibly ejected and sustained facial injuries; Ennis tried to aid her as law enforcement arrived.
The suspects faced charges of aggravated assault and property damage but were released into parental custody pending a hearing scheduled for January 2008. Due to their juvenile status, media outlets withheld full names except for two individuals. Britny Carter admitted that Kreager spat but denied any racial animus; Nikita McDaniels accused Kreager of assault three weeks later, though those charges were dropped owing to lack of proof. In April 2008, McDaniels received a sentence to secure juvenile detention, while two co-defendants were placed under home confinement. Juvenile Court Judge David Young described the case as among the most severe he had encountered in his 23 years on the bench.
During the trial, Assistant State's Attorney Dawn Jones portrayed McDaniels as provoking the altercation by occupying two seats and verbally harassing Kreager. Kreager testified that McDaniels said, "That's my homegirl's seat," which escalated into verbal insults.
Kreager sustained fractures to two bones around her eye socket, severe head lacerations, injuries to her neck and back, extensive bruising, and swelling around one eye; she was treated at Sinai Hospital and subsequently placed in witness protection for her safety.
Nikita McDaniels was found guilty and sentenced to a secure juvenile facility located outside Maryland.
Additional incidents
On December 10, 2007, Patrick Green and Robert Rothe were attacked by a group of young African-American males on the Number 64 Bus in South Baltimore. Both victims believe the assault was racially motivated.
Similar incidents were also reported that month on Bus Routes 51, M-1, and 15.