Route 56 (MTA Maryland)

Route 56
Overview
System	Maryland Transit Administration
Garage	Northwest
Status	active
Began service	2008
Predecessors	Route M-9 (1997-2008) Route M-16 (1987-1997) Route P-1 (1984-1987) Route 7 (1959-1984) Route 5/7 (1948-1959) Route M (1932-1948) No. 5 Streetcar (1916-1932)
Route
Locale	Baltimore City Baltimore County
Communities served	Owings Mills Reisterstown
Other routes	59
Service
Level	Daily
Frequency	Every 35 minutes Every 20 minutes (peak)
Weekend frequency	Every 35 minutes
Operates	5:00 am to 1:00 am

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. The line, which was a split-off from the final version of the now defunct Route M-9, and resembles the former Route M-16 that operated from 1987 to 1998.

Route 56 has only been operating under this designation since February 17, 2008. Its route, however, has a long history of being served by other bus and streetcar lines.

The no. 56 designation was once previously used in Baltimore transit history for a line that operated from Murray Hill (near Rodgers Forge) to Bedford Square (near Charles Village). This line operated from 1948 to 1953 before being merged into the current Route 11, the main bus route for the Charles Street corridor.

Service on Reisterstown Road was provided by the No. 5 Streetcar Line, which ran from Emory Grove to Patterson Park, providing transit along all parts of Reisterstown Road in Baltimore County. The no. 5 streetcar had the most northern terminus of all Baltimore streetcars. At this time, the corridor was far less developed than it is today.

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).

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