Route 15 (MTA Maryland)
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Defunct | June 18, 2017 |
| Fate | Discontinued and replaced by BaltimoreLink routes |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
Area served | Baltimore metropolitan area |
| Owner | Maryland Transit Administration |
Route 15 was a bus service managed by the Maryland Transit Administration that connected Baltimore with its surrounding suburban areas. Its route spanned from locations such as Security Square Mall, Westview Mall, Windsor Hills, or Walbrook Junction through downtown Baltimore, continuing onward to Overlea. During peak hours, select express trips extended to Perry Hall. The primary corridors served by this route included Security Boulevard, Windsor Mill Road, Forest Park Avenue, Poplar Grove Street, Edmondson Avenue, Saratoga Street, Gay Street, and Belair Road. It ranked among the most heavily patronized routes operated by the MTA.
Route 15 was the successor to the former 4 Edmondson Avenue and 15 Gay Street streetcar lines.
On June 18, 2017, with the implementation of the BaltimoreLink system redesign, Route 15 was discontinued and its service replaced by CityLink Brown, LocalLink 80, LocalLink 79, LocalLink 34, and Express BusLink 115.
History
The origins of Route 15 trace back to two streetcar lines established in 1899: the western segment of Route 4 running along Bloomingdale Road and Edmondson Avenue, and the eastern segment of the original Route 15 operating on Gay Street and Belair Road.
The Gay Street Line, launched by the Baltimore City Passenger Railway on December 11, 1861, extended to Boundary Avenue (currently known as North Avenue) and was through-routed with the Baltimore Street Line serving West Baltimore (now incorporated into Route 20) under the designation Red Line. This line transitioned to cable traction in 1893 before being electrified by 1899. An extension along Belair Road was constructed in the late 1890s by the Central Passenger Railway, with further expansion reaching Overlea through the efforts of the Baltimore, Gardenville and Bel Air Electric Railway.
The Edmondson Avenue Line, operated by the North Baltimore Passenger Railway (later integrated into the Baltimore Traction Company), was through-routed with the Monument Street Line (currently part of Route 35, distinct from an earlier Route 35 merged into Route 15 in 1966). This line extended northward via Poplar Grove Street and Bloomingdale Road to reach Walbrook through the Baltimore and Powhatan Railway, and westward along Windsor Mill Road via the Gwynn Falls Railway. Electrification of this line occurred in 1894.
The route numbers 15 and 4 were assigned to these respective lines in 1899. On December 31, 1935, Route 4 was shortened to terminate downtown, with its Monument Street segment becoming part of Route 6. On May 9, 1948, Route 15 was divided when bus service on Route 20 replaced both the Edmondson Avenue streetcar and the old Route 20 streetcar serving Point Breeze. Subsequently, Route 4 was merged into Route 15 on September 18, 1954, before being fully converted to bus operation on November 2, 1963.
In 1966, Route 15 incorporated Route 35, which provided service between Walbrook Junction and Lorraine. The unified route then extended from Lorraine all the way to Overlea. Over time, additional extensions expanded service further into suburban areas to accommodate regional growth.
Service north of Overlea
The transit connection between Overlea and Belair originated in 1915 with the introduction of "jitney buses." In 1973, the MTA launched Route 15A, offering express service from Kingsville to downtown Baltimore via Belair Road. This route was rebranded as Route 43 in 1991 and extended to reach White Marsh. Despite this, service along Belair Road remained limited; by 1992, many of Route 43’s trips were replaced by express runs on Route 15. Initially, the White Marsh segment was served by Route 66 but shifted to Route 15 following the discontinuation of Route 66.
Due to insufficient ridership, service beyond Perry Hall to Kingsville was reduced in 1998, maintaining only seven weekday trips. The Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative in 2005 proposed complete elimination of service north of Overlea; however, strong community opposition, notably from a visually impaired individual, prevented this action. Subsequently, improvements to White Marsh service were implemented in 2007.
Forest Park Avenue service
In preparation for the closure of the Forest Park Avenue bridge in 2003, Route 15 was redirected to avoid Windsor Hills by traveling along Windsor Mill Road. During this period, a temporary shuttle designated Route 68 operated between Walbrook Junction and Windsor Hills.
The 2005 Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative suggested merging Routes 15 and 91 to extend service northward to Sinai Hospital and converting Route 68 into a feeder route connecting Security Square Mall with Mondawmin Metro Station. This plan would have resulted in the elimination of bus service within Windsor Hills. Due to public outcry, including concerns from senior citizens about the increased walking distance required, these proposals were halted.
Following the reopening of the Forest Park bridge in April 2007, Route 68 was consolidated back into Route 15, restoring complete service through Windsor Hills west of Walbrook Junction. Additionally, weekday and Saturday frequencies to White Marsh were enhanced to hourly intervals.
In June 2011, all local routes beyond Overlea were discontinued; nonetheless, express service continued to Perry Hall, while White Marsh service was supplanted by an extension of Route 58.
External links
- Route 15 bus at Lexington Market Metro Station on Google Street View
See also
- Route 47 (provides supplemental east side service during peak periods)