Route 59 (MTA Maryland)
Encyclopedia
Route 59 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration
in Baltimore
and its suburbs, mostly along Reisterstown Road
. The line currently runs from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station to the Owings Mills Town Center
. The line was a split-off from Route M-9, and resembles the pre-1997 route of Route M-9. It is the successor to several other bus routes and streetcars.
, providing all transit service than offered along any parts of Reisterstown Road. The no. 5 streetcar was had the most northern point of all Baltimore streetcars. At this time, the Owings Mills area was minimally developed.
and Canton along the same route as the present no. 7 line. Even after the no. 7 line was shortened in 1984 in favor of shorter Metro feeder buses, the no. 7 line continued to operate along this full route until 2001, when the Metro connection buses started to operate 7 days a week, some 24 hours a day.
. After 9 AM, service to between the Metro Station and Town Center was provided by a shuttle identified as Route M-17, no relationship to the current Route M-17 that serves other parts of the Owings Mills area.
In June 1992, the Route M-17 shuttle was discontinued, and service was provided by extending all trips on Routes M-9 and M-16 to the Owings Mills Town Center. At the same time, Route M-15, which duplicated service on Route M-9 and several other routes, was discontinued. The only section of Route M-15 that was not covered by any other bus lines was a branch of selected trips to Business Center at Owings Mills. To replace this service, six daily M-9 trips were extended to this location. Currently, this service is not provided by Route 59, but by Route M-17.
In 1999, the destination signs of the buses bound for Reisterstown were marked "Glyndon" in order to avoid confusion with those in the opposite direction marked "Reisterstown Plaza Station".
In September 2001, all Metro connection buses, except those that operated weekdays only, were expanded to operate 7 days a week for the first time. The schedules of all at the time, including Route M-9, matched those of Saturday service.
. These routes resemble the former original Routes M-9 and M-16, respectively. This was done in order to improve schedule adherence on both routes.
On August 30, 2009 Route M-17 was discontinued and service along Red Run Boulevard was replaced by extending peak hour service on Route 59 to Red Land Court. These trips do not enter the Owings Mills Mall parking lot (Mill Run Circle), but pass Owings Mills Mall on Red Run Boulevard.
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, mostly along Reisterstown Road
Maryland Route 140
Maryland Route 140 is a local long route in northern Maryland, United States.-Route description:MD 140 is known by various names depending on location; south of Reisterstown it is known as Reisterstown Road. Though Reisterstown itself is named after John Reister, the road is named after Jacob...
. The line currently runs from the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station to the Owings Mills Town Center
Owings Mills Town Center
Owings Mills Town Center is a proposed $220 million development in Owings Mills, Maryland aimed at creating a downtown meeting place on the land between the Owings Mills Metro Station and Owings Mills Mall. The complex would include housing, shops, office space, a hotel, a library, and a community...
. The line was a split-off from Route M-9, and resembles the pre-1997 route of Route M-9. It is the successor to several other bus routes and streetcars.
History
Route 59 has only been operating since February 17, 2008. Prior to this date, the no. 59 designation was never used for a bus operating on Reisterstown Road. The only other bus route in Baltimore transit history that had the no. 59 designation was the Colgate Shuttle, a service that operated during rush hour from 1948 to 1952. But the Reisterstown Road corridor between Pikesville and Owings Mills has a history of being served by many other bus routes and streetcar lines.1916 to 1932
Service on Reisterstown Road was provided by the No. 5 Streetcar Line, which ran from Emory Grove to Patterson ParkPatterson Park
Patterson Park is a public park in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. The park is bordered by East Baltimore Street on the north, Eastern Avenue on the south, South Patterson Park Avenue on the west, and South Linwood Avenue on the east...
, providing all transit service than offered along any parts of Reisterstown Road. The no. 5 streetcar was had the most northern point of all Baltimore streetcars. At this time, the Owings Mills area was minimally developed.
1932 to 1948
In 1932, the no. 5 streetcar was shortened to Pikesville. Service between Pikesville and Emory Grove was provided by Bus Route M (no relationship to M-lines).1948 to 1959
In 1948, the no. 5 streetcar was completely converted to a bus operated. The new line was identified as the no. 5/7 line.1959 to 1984
The no. 7 bus line provided service on all parts of Reisterstown Road from Glyndon to Pennsylvania and North Avenues, then continued along Pennsylvania Avenue to downtown BaltimoreDowntown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
and Canton along the same route as the present no. 7 line. Even after the no. 7 line was shortened in 1984 in favor of shorter Metro feeder buses, the no. 7 line continued to operate along this full route until 2001, when the Metro connection buses started to operate 7 days a week, some 24 hours a day.
1984 to 1987
Following the opening of the Baltimore Metro, a new series of feeder buses were developed to bring riders into Metro stations. During this time, Route P-4 operated along virtually the same route as Route 59, with the exception of the deviation into the Owings Mills Metro Station, which at the time, did not exist. Additionally, Route P-1 overlapped along Reisterstown Road, then operated to Reisterstown.1987 to 1997
During the years 1987 to 1997, Route M-9 operated over the present route of Route 59. The line started by running from Reisterstown Plaza to the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station at most times, with trips before 9 AM continuing to the Owings Mills Town CenterOwings Mills Town Center
Owings Mills Town Center is a proposed $220 million development in Owings Mills, Maryland aimed at creating a downtown meeting place on the land between the Owings Mills Metro Station and Owings Mills Mall. The complex would include housing, shops, office space, a hotel, a library, and a community...
. After 9 AM, service to between the Metro Station and Town Center was provided by a shuttle identified as Route M-17, no relationship to the current Route M-17 that serves other parts of the Owings Mills area.
In June 1992, the Route M-17 shuttle was discontinued, and service was provided by extending all trips on Routes M-9 and M-16 to the Owings Mills Town Center. At the same time, Route M-15, which duplicated service on Route M-9 and several other routes, was discontinued. The only section of Route M-15 that was not covered by any other bus lines was a branch of selected trips to Business Center at Owings Mills. To replace this service, six daily M-9 trips were extended to this location. Currently, this service is not provided by Route 59, but by Route M-17.
1997 to 2008
In 1997, Route M-9 was combined with Route M-16. A single line was formed that operated between the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station and Reisterstown, with all trips operating via the Owings Mills Town Center. A new Route M-17 was formed to provide service on all special branches.In 1999, the destination signs of the buses bound for Reisterstown were marked "Glyndon" in order to avoid confusion with those in the opposite direction marked "Reisterstown Plaza Station".
In September 2001, all Metro connection buses, except those that operated weekdays only, were expanded to operate 7 days a week for the first time. The schedules of all at the time, including Route M-9, matched those of Saturday service.
2008 to Present
On February 17, 2008, the M-9 line was split into two new routes: nos. 59 and 56Route 56 (MTA Maryland)
Route 56 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in the suburbs of Baltimore. The route currently runs from the Owings Mills Town Center to Glyndon via Reisterstown Road and the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station...
. These routes resemble the former original Routes M-9 and M-16, respectively. This was done in order to improve schedule adherence on both routes.
On August 30, 2009 Route M-17 was discontinued and service along Red Run Boulevard was replaced by extending peak hour service on Route 59 to Red Land Court. These trips do not enter the Owings Mills Mall parking lot (Mill Run Circle), but pass Owings Mills Mall on Red Run Boulevard.