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Last updated: October 2008
Purpose & Need / Project History
| Purpose & Need / Project History |
How will the Red Line improve public transit in Baltimore?The Red Line was included in the Baltimore Region Rail System Plan developed in 2001-2002. This plan envisions a transit system with six lines and focuses on giving riders access to jobs, education, shopping, recreation and medical care. In the words of the plan: "Imagine being able to go just about everywhere you really need to go.on the train. 21 colleges, 18 hospitals, 16 museums, 13 malls, 8 theatres, 8 parks, 2 stadiums, and one fabulous Inner Harbor. You name it, you can get there. Fast. Just imagine the possibilities of Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Purple, and Orange - six lines, 109 miles, 122 stations. One great transit system." The Red Line was an integral part of the plan, with stations near major employment centers in downtown Baltimore, Inner Harbor East, the Social Security Administration complex, the University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools and the adjacent hospital complex; improved public transit for many Baltimore City and Baltimore County residential neighborhoods; connections to existing Metro, Light Rail and MARC stations, and proximity to leisure activity points of interest, such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium and the Hippodrome Theater. The plan was drawn up by an Advisory Committee appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. The Advisory Committee consisted of 23 members, including elected officials and civic, business, transit and community leaders from the Baltimore Metropolitan area.
Why are we studying the Red Line first?The Baltimore Region Rail System Plan set the vision and blueprint for a high-quality, regional transit system but did not specify details such as specific routes (alignments) or modes (types of transit vehicles). The Advisory Committee recommended that the Red Line and the Green Line segments receive immediate study. This decision was not the result of a technical study, but was instead driven by the Committee's belief that the east-west Red Line corridor showed the greatest need for improvement given the large numbers of people riding buses, slow travel times on buses, the opportunity to connect with the MARC Train at the West Baltimore Station, and the availability of right-of-way along the US 40 freeway between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Pulaski Street.
Why is this called the Red Line? What are the other colors?Primary colors were used to identify the six rail lines and to simplify description of the plan. Other cities follow this approach, too, the best example being the Washington, D.C. regional Metrorail system. In Baltimore, red was chosen for the east-west line; green for the existing Metro Subway from Owings Mills to Johns Hopkins Hospital (and any future extension; blue for the existing Light Rail line; yellow for a new downtown line along the York Road/Greenmount Avenue corridor to Towson and Hunt Valley on the north and Columbia to the west; purple for the existing MARC Penn Line corridor and any improvements; and orange for the existing MARC Camden Line corridor and associated improvements.
Why do we need a Red Line?Anyone who travels in and around Baltimore knows the difficulty of navigating congested streets in rush hour or attempting to drive across town. There is no shortcut or expeditious route on city roads that gets you quickly from East Baltimore to West Baltimore or from Western Baltimore County to the downtown Central Business District. Buses become stuck in those traffic jams too. A public rapid transit route such as the Red Line offers hope for swift, convenient and dependable east-west travel through the heart of Baltimore. The Texas Transportation Institute's (TTI) 2004 Urban Mobility Report illustrates Baltimore's commuting problem: Baltimore ranks as the ninth worst city in the nation for growing traffic delays. In 2002, car travelers spent an extra 48 hours a year sitting in traffic. This compares to just nine hours of annual traffic delays in 1982. According to the TTI, the 2002 delays mean that 59.7 million hours of travel time are wasted in gridlocked Baltimore traffic and 101 million gallons of fuel are needlessly consumed. The region's yearly "congestion cost" exceeds $1 billion. That equates to a cost of $395 per year for each Baltimore area resident due to congestion. Then there's the region's stubborn air pollution. High smog levels are a major contributor to hospital emergency room visits and asthma attacks. Baltimore averaged 11 Code Red (dangerously high air pollution) days during the 1990s. The Red Line can reduce dirty air by drawing more people away from their cars. Rail transit emits, per person, 75 percent less nitrogen oxide than cars and virtually no carbon monoxide or hydrocarbons. Getting more people out of their cars will save them money, too, especially given the rising price of gasoline and the high cost of downtown parking. For the region's fast-growing elderly population, the Red Line offers enhanced mobility at an affordable price and an improved quality of life. The Red Line also provides young people in the suburbs with public transit access to downtown sports, cultural and entertainment events. The Red Line is the most immediate and effective way to improve transportation in the Baltimore region. It would be the first major step this century toward a world-class transit system that ties city and suburban communities together. The Red Line offers a valuable east-west transit option. It can make travel in this heavily congested corridor simpler, faster and cheaper.
Who is the Red Line trying to serve?One of the advantages of the Red Line is that it will appeal to many different people. The largest number of daily riders likely will come from commuters to jobs downtown and in the suburbs. Anyone seeking to avoid downtown traffic congestion can turn to this rapid transit alternative. Anyone who does not drive will gain a new option. Those with limited incomes will find getting around the region easier. The Red Line also will connect to other MTA bus and transit lines and the MARC commuter rail lines that travel south to Fort Meade and Washington and north to Aberdeen Proving Ground. Airplane travelers can use the Red Line to transfer to the Light Rail that runs to BWI Airport. Transfer points from the Red Line to the Light Rail and Metro will give more people in the region public transit access to a vast array of neighborhoods and communities such as Owings Mills, Hunt Valley, Timonium, Lexington Market, Johns Hopkins and Glen Burnie. The Red Line will serve people seeking access to entertainment opportunities. The Red Line will connect with Inner Harbor attractions, the Baltimore Arena, the Camden Yards stadiums, Little Italy, Fells Point, Canton, and Bayview. Throughout the corridor, many communities will gain new public transit service. This will give more people in the city and suburbs the flexibility to get around Baltimore easily for their daily activities.
What are the benefits of the Red Line?Building a fast public transit line bisecting Baltimore east and west holds enormous potential. Above all, the Red Line, stretching from Woodlawn in western Baltimore County through the downtown Central Business District to the Canton-Patterson Park area, to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, and perhaps beyond, gives citizens of all ages enhanced mobility. The Red Line ties suburban businesses in western Baltimore County - particularly large employers like the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) - to the city's large pool of job seekers and makes commuting fast and convenient for current workers. The same is true for suburban employees commuting from the west to downtown business offices. The Red Line enhances access to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) downtown and to the city's major hospitals, including world-famous Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland Medical Center, the Veterans Administration Hospital, and Bayview. It makes trips to schools, churches, parks, and tourist attractions near Red Line stations quick and reliable. Downtown sports and entertainment sites are also a short walk away. Transferring to other forms of MTA transit will be more convenient. The Red Line will connect directly to the Light Rail line and the Metro Subway, making combined east-west/north-south trips seamless. Multiple bus connections at Red Line stations mean seamless transfers. In short, public transit in Baltimore will be vastly improved. The Red Line will help spur commercial and residential growth around new transit stations. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is happening in other U.S. cities, such as Denver, Boston, Minneapolis and Dallas. Already in the Baltimore region, the Owings Mills terminus of the Metro Subway is being turned into a Town Center. Plans were announced last year for a TOD on a massive scale surrounding the Metro station and the Light Rail stop at the State Center government office complex. The Red Line will help revitalize existing communities and stimulate economic development within walking distance of new transit stations. Most important of all, it will bring stability to surrounding neighborhoods. Residents will be able to leave their cars at home and walk their neighborhoods on the way to work and play via the Red Line. With more people using the Red Line, downtown auto volume should ease, creating greater parking opportunities. Congestion on city streets should diminish as Red Line ridership grows and patronage should increase on other transit and bus lines. Finally, the air we breathe should be cleaner once Red Line trains fill with passengers. In general, the region's quality of life will improve as Baltimoreans begin turning to rapid transit for more of their travel needs.
Will the Red Line be extended in the future?If a Red Line is ultimately constructed from Woodlawn to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, it could be extended then southeast to Dundalk or Turners Station, as called for in the initial plans.
What comparable American cities have built a transit route similar to the Red Line?Baltimore's Red Line project is considering Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) modes that would travel through an urbanized corridor. Other cities that have built a transit line through a comparable urbanized corridor include: LRT:
BRT: |