Route 52 (MTA Maryland)
Encyclopedia
Route 52 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration
in Baltimore
and its suburbs. The line currently runs from the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station along Liberty Heights Avenue and Liberty Road
to a loop known as in Milford Mill
with buses marked as "Milford Mill" (not to be confused with the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station, where this route presently does not operate). The loop is composed of a square block, consisting of Liberty Road, Rolling Road
, Church Lane, and Milford Mill Road. The spot of the layover
depends on the time of day.
The line was known as Route M-1 from 1984 until its renaming on August 30, 2009, when no routing changes were made.
Routes 28 and 37 had served the Liberty Heights corridor since 1947. The main bus line serving Liberty Heights Avenue in both directions was Route 28. Route 28 had operated since 1947 between the Liberty Heights Avenue
corridor and Cherry Hill with other destinations. All buses that had operated from Cherry Hill and other locations in South Baltimore to Liberty Heights had been given the no. 28 designation. All buses that originated from Liberty Heights with a destination other than Cherry Hill were identified as no. 28. But all buses that originated in the Liberty Heights area and had a final destination of Cherry Hill were designated no. 37. This was done to alert white residents of the communities in the Liberty Heights area that the bus's final destination was Cherry Hill, then a low class black community. This practice was discontinued in 1974 when the no. 37 designation was dropped, and all buses along this route were given the no. 28 designation.
Route M-1 started operating in 1984, taking over the service previously provided by Route 28. Route 28 had operated along the Liberty Heights corridor since 1947. Another line designated Route 37 had provided some of the eastbound service until 1974. The no. 32 streetcar had operated along Liberty Heights from 1920 to 1955, and as a bus from 1955 to 1959 before this service was merged into the no. 28 bus.
When Route M-1 began in 1984, it operated along its present route, though it has undergone various changes before resuming its original route. In 1988, Route M-1 was combined with Route M-13, and selected trips were extended along Milford Mill Road to Milford Mill Station. In addition, other trips operated between the Milford Mill Station and a community off Scotts Level Road in Pikesville known as "Bellemore Farms" (also previously a branch of Route M-13).
The line continued following this route for the next 15 years, with the only change being the addition of Sunday service in 2001, when Sunday service was introduced on all M-lines. During this time, buses on Liberty could either be marked "Milford Mill" or "Milford Mill Station," with station flashing alternately, requiring those wishing to reach Milford Mill Station to wait for the sign to change. The line also had occasional short turns at Gwynn Oak Avenue and Buckingham Road.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative
, a comprehensive overhaul plan for the region's transit system, Route M-1 returned to its pre-1988 route, as all service along Milford Mill Road was provided by the modified Route M-8 (now a part of Route 54
). No service was provided to Bellemore Farms.
On August 30, 2009, the M-1 was renamed Route 52, completing MTA's redesignation of all M-lines to two-digit designations.
Maryland Transit Administration
The Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and its suburbs. The line currently runs from the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station along Liberty Heights Avenue and Liberty Road
Maryland Route 26
Maryland Route 26 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Outside of the Baltimore city limits, it is known as Liberty Road; inside the city limits it is known as Liberty Heights Avenue....
to a loop known as in Milford Mill
Milford Mill, Maryland
Milford Mill is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 26,527 at the 2000 census.According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land....
with buses marked as "Milford Mill" (not to be confused with the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station, where this route presently does not operate). The loop is composed of a square block, consisting of Liberty Road, Rolling Road
Rolling Road
Rolling Road is a major cross county road that runs through Baltimore County, Maryland. The road, once a continuous route, is divided into two by Interstate 95...
, Church Lane, and Milford Mill Road. The spot of the layover
Layover
In transportation, a layover, also known as lays over or stopover, is some form of a break between parts of a single trip.-In mass transit:...
depends on the time of day.
The line was known as Route M-1 from 1984 until its renaming on August 30, 2009, when no routing changes were made.
History
Route 52 is the successor to various bus and streetcar lines, including the No. 32 streetcar and bus, and the now-defunct Bus Routes 28 and 37.Routes 28 and 37 had served the Liberty Heights corridor since 1947. The main bus line serving Liberty Heights Avenue in both directions was Route 28. Route 28 had operated since 1947 between the Liberty Heights Avenue
Maryland Route 26
Maryland Route 26 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Outside of the Baltimore city limits, it is known as Liberty Road; inside the city limits it is known as Liberty Heights Avenue....
corridor and Cherry Hill with other destinations. All buses that had operated from Cherry Hill and other locations in South Baltimore to Liberty Heights had been given the no. 28 designation. All buses that originated from Liberty Heights with a destination other than Cherry Hill were identified as no. 28. But all buses that originated in the Liberty Heights area and had a final destination of Cherry Hill were designated no. 37. This was done to alert white residents of the communities in the Liberty Heights area that the bus's final destination was Cherry Hill, then a low class black community. This practice was discontinued in 1974 when the no. 37 designation was dropped, and all buses along this route were given the no. 28 designation.
Route M-1 started operating in 1984, taking over the service previously provided by Route 28. Route 28 had operated along the Liberty Heights corridor since 1947. Another line designated Route 37 had provided some of the eastbound service until 1974. The no. 32 streetcar had operated along Liberty Heights from 1920 to 1955, and as a bus from 1955 to 1959 before this service was merged into the no. 28 bus.
When Route M-1 began in 1984, it operated along its present route, though it has undergone various changes before resuming its original route. In 1988, Route M-1 was combined with Route M-13, and selected trips were extended along Milford Mill Road to Milford Mill Station. In addition, other trips operated between the Milford Mill Station and a community off Scotts Level Road in Pikesville known as "Bellemore Farms" (also previously a branch of Route M-13).
The line continued following this route for the next 15 years, with the only change being the addition of Sunday service in 2001, when Sunday service was introduced on all M-lines. During this time, buses on Liberty could either be marked "Milford Mill" or "Milford Mill Station," with station flashing alternately, requiring those wishing to reach Milford Mill Station to wait for the sign to change. The line also had occasional short turns at Gwynn Oak Avenue and Buckingham Road.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative
Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative
GBBI redirects here. For the broadband index, see Government Broadband Index The Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative was a sweeping overhaul planned by the Maryland Transit Administration under the administration of then-Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich and his transportation secretary Robert...
, a comprehensive overhaul plan for the region's transit system, Route M-1 returned to its pre-1988 route, as all service along Milford Mill Road was provided by the modified Route M-8 (now a part of Route 54
Route 54 (MTA Maryland)
Route 54 is a bus route that operates in Baltimore and its suburbs, serving the corridors of Park Heights Avenue, Milford Mill Road, and Liberty Road. All trips operate from the Penn-North Metro Subway Station in Baltimore City to the Milford Mill Metro Subway Station in Pikesville. From there,...
). No service was provided to Bellemore Farms.
On August 30, 2009, the M-1 was renamed Route 52, completing MTA's redesignation of all M-lines to two-digit designations.