By Lauren Proudfoot
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Baltimore County launched a new public transit service this week for downtown Towson, making this the first free public transit service in the county, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced Tuesday.
According to the news release, the idea of the “Towson Loop” has been discussed for a long time. The motive behind the idea is to reduce congestion in the Towson area and to better help residents, students and visitors, the statement said.
“I could not be more proud to finally bring this much-needed, long-promised, free transit service that will better connect our residents with the places they live, work, study and play,” Olszewski said. “Expanding access to easy, efficient, reliable transit is an essential element in our vision for a better Baltimore County. This is a major step in our efforts to build a stronger local transit system that will carry Baltimore County into the future.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen helped secure federal funding to support this project, the county statement said.
“Reliable public transit is critical to connecting Maryland commuters and businesses throughout the region,” Van Hollen said in the statement. “The new Towson Loop will provide free, safe and efficient transportation for residents of Baltimore County, getting the young and old alike to where they want to go in Towson, when they want to go there.”
Beginning Tuesday at noon, the Towson Loop will run every 15 to 20 minutes during the hours of 6 a.m. to midnight on Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday. The busses will operate on two loops: the north-south Purple Loop and the east-west Orange Loop.
The Towson Loop buses will have bus stops near surrounding major places around Towson such as Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Goucher College, Sheppard Pratt Health Systems, St. Joseph Medical Center and Towson University, as well as retail shops such as The Shops at Kenilworth, Towson Town Center, and Towson Place.
“I’m beyond excited to start using the Towson Loop,” said Shannon Garvey, 21, who lives in the Altus apartment complex at 22 W. Susquehanna Ave. “With this new bus system in place, I don’t have to leave my apartment as early to walk to Towson’s campus. Now, I can sleep in a little longer and still make it to class on time. I can even track the bus with their app, so I can allocate my time well.”
Riders who use the Towson Loop can follow @baltcoloop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for service updates. To track the bus schedules, estimated arrivals and more, riders can download the Passiogo app or Transit app on Apple Store or the Google play store on their smart phones.
“Convenient, reliable public transportation is the key to a more sustainable, accessible and equitable community,” U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Baltimore County, said.
The statement said the county plans to make more plans for accessible and equitable transit opportunities throughout the county.
Visit www.baltcoloop.com for more information about the Towson Loop including their purple and orange route map.