FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
 

Agency to Engage with Public, Gather Feedback During November Open Houses

 

BALTIMORE, MD (November 1, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration has released the technical analysis associated with six Preliminary Alternatives maps made public in late September for the Red Line transit route in Baltimore. Results of the technical analysis support the need for premium transit to improve mobility and access along the east-west corridor. The maps and accompanying analysis will be the focus of four Red Line open house meetings beginning tomorrow, Thursday, November 2, and continuing through Thursday, November 9. The technical analysis and the maps are available on the project website, redlinemaryland.com. As part of the public engagement process, a survey on the proposed alternatives is available online and at the open house meetings. The survey is open until December 1, 2023.

 

“The Red Line will have a dramatic, positive impact on communities all along the east-west corridor, and it’s imperative we share ideas and information with residents, officials and stakeholders every step of the way,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Working together, we can make the Red Line a crown jewel of Maryland’s world-class transportation network. I strongly encourage everyone to participate in making that vision a reality.”

 

Results of the technical analysis highlight the purpose and need for the project, and are organized into a series of “measures of effectiveness” based on topics such as ridership, access, travel time, reliability, cost, time to implement and more. These measures enable the public to evaluate and compare the six proposed alternative maps with respect to mode choice – light rail or bus rapid transit – as well as tunneling components and alignment. The measures were developed with feedback from stakeholders and the public during open houses and other public engagement activities held during the summer.

 

Results of this early analysis suggest each of the six Preliminary Alternatives perform positively across the measures of effectiveness. All the alternatives improve the following elements.

• Access – providing better access to jobs and employment centers, and better mobility for students (ages 5-17) and residents.
• Reliability – the Red Line will be reliable by operating in physically separated, dedicated lanes.
• Economic Growth – both light rail transit and bus rapid transit options attract reinvestment and development.

The alternatives demonstrate differences in the areas of:

• Ridership – all alternatives attract sufficient ridership to support an investment in premium transit. Light rail is estimated to have a higher ridership than bus rapid transit.
• Travel Times – tunnel options provide an estimated 10 to 15 minutes of travel time savings (along the full length of the line) compared to surface running options.
• Costs – tunnel options are 70% more expensive than surface running options.
• Time to Implement/Risk – tunnel options increase the overall time to implement.

The public is strongly encouraged to participate and share feedback at the open house meetings. During the meetings, the Red Line project team will describe and answer questions about the analysis results, as well as offer more detailed information about what different options could look like in Baltimore. For those unable to attend, all materials are available on the project website.

 

“The results of the technical analysis reaffirm that the Red Line is a critical project for our region,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “We look forward to engaging with the public and hearing their thoughts as we continue to advance the Red Line.”

 

The open house schedule follows, and is posted on the project website:

• Thursday, November 2, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. – Woodlawn High School, 1801 Woodlawn Dr., Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
• Saturday, November 4, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – University of Maryland, Baltimore, SMC Campus Center, 621 W. Lombard St. Baltimore, MD 21201
• Wednesday, November 8, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. – Greektown Square and Event Center, 700 Quail St., Baltimore, MD 21224
• Thursday, November 9, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. – Edmondson Westside High School, 501 N. Athol Ave., Baltimore, MD 21229

 

The Maryland Transit Administration is committed to a collaborative approach in development of the Red Line, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to build a transportation system that addresses the needs and aspirations of Baltimore’s diverse communities.

 

To learn more about the Red Line, visit redlinemaryland.com. Stay connected to the project and other Red Line stakeholders by following @redlinemaryland on Facebook and Twitter.

 

The Maryland Transit Administration is one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the United States, and operates Local Bus, Commuter Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, MARC Train Service and a comprehensive Mobility paratransit system. The goal of the Maryland Transit Administration is to provide safe, efficient and reliable transit across Maryland with world-class customer service. To learn more, visit mta.maryland.gov, check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/mtamaryland and follow us on Twitter @mtamaryland.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Paul Shepard
Office: 410-767-3935
Cell: 443-622-4181
pshepard@mdot.maryland.gov

Veronica Battisti
Office: 410-767-8748
Cell: 410-598-4168
vbattisti@mdot.maryland.gov

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