Community Comes Out Strong for Baltimore Redline Open House!
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The Baltimore Red Line project is a planned east-west transit corridor developed by the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA). Relaunched in June 2023 by Governor Wes Moore, the project aims to bridge a critical transit gap from Bayview to Woodlawn through Canton and SE Baltimore, increasing public transportation access across key areas in the city. The MDOT MTA is in the preliminary stages of project development and is actively engaging local communities to incorporate their insights into the planning and design phases.
The Baltimore Red Line project is a planned east-west transit corridor developed by the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA). Relaunched in June 2023 by Governor Wes Moore, the project aims to bridge a critical transit gap from Bayview to Woodlawn through Canton and SE Baltimore, increasing public transportation access across key areas in the city. The MDOT MTA is in the preliminary stages of project development and is actively engaging local communities to incorporate their insights into the planning and design phases.
Public engagement sessions, such as the well-attended one held at the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown on October 24, have provided MDOT MTA the opportunity to present the project to Baltimore residents, answer questions, and gather direct feedback from the community.
The open houses showcased the findings of the project team’s analysis to date, identified questions for which the team has developed recommendations, and highlighted areas where analysis is ongoing. The materials from the open house also included a summary of updated Measures of Effectiveness (evaluation metrics) for each of the three alternatives under consideration, along with the challenges and opportunities associated with different options and community engagement activities and outcomes from the past year.
Attending the October 24 Open House in SE Baltimore were members of the CCA Transportation Committee Chris Broughton and Ginger Hansen.
CCA Transportation Committee Chair Chris Broughton says, “The Red Line would serve as a crucial connection point to the existing transit network, giving Southeast Baltimore residents and others access to destinations such as BWI airport, Camden Yards, the Convention center, MARC and Amtrak stations, the inner harbor and much, much more.”
Here is a video of the virtual online Open House. It includes project history and details, guiding the viewer through the display boards from the MTA’s October Open Houses. To read what the community is saying, visit the Baltimore Redline Facebook page.
In further updates, MDOT MTA has formed a Red Line Community Advisory Team (CAT) comprising 25 community members, frequent transit riders, and business owners who reflect the neighborhoods the Red Line will serve. This diverse group brings local perspectives to the forefront, enabling MDOT MTA to make informed decisions on the project's design and operations, with an emphasis on inclusivity and community needs. Their involvement will help MDOT MTA develop strategies that meet the needs of transit-dependent residents, improve transportation equity, and enhance the economic and environmental benefits of the line.
In addition, MDOT MTA is advancing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), a critical step for securing federal funding under the Capital Investment Grant program. The project’s funding strategy includes this federal support to back its construction, moving Maryland closer to achieving multimodal, sustainable transportation solutions.
The MDOT is committed to multimodal transportation improvements that enhance Maryland’s overall connectivity, safety, and sustainability, with the Red Line expected to be a key asset in realizing these goals. For more details, you can explore the MDOT Red Line website and ongoing updates from MDOT news releases.