Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Baltimore leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to public transportation. Even as a state employee who gets to ride for free, I choose not to use it. I could make 3 round trips in my car in the time it takes to make one trip downtown on public transportation, not to mention that some of the layovers/connections are in the worst neighborhoods. Who wants to spend 30 minutes waiting for a connection on the corner of Greenmount and North Avenue at 1:30am-2am? Not me. In NYC, I could find a train or bus any time of the day or night.
I was in favor of the Red Line.. now Im not so sure. All of these station planned along the route are suppose to generate transit oriented development (TOD) as people move to be closer to the train system.. But if you live in Edmonson Village or Harlem Park are you really going to take the Red Line downtown? You can drive or take the bus and get there just as quick. Also, will these areas actually.. REDEVELOP because of the Red Line.. Uplands and the West Baltimore MARC stations.. yes.. the rest of the areas.. not so sure. Canton and all of the SE communties are already "developed" and many residents oppose it.. but that's another story.
I have read numerous blogs/articles that advocate for extending the Metro Subway out towardsdWhite Marsh through NE Baltimore from Hopkins as a better transit option...with a new MARC station in East Baltimore at Broadway. Connecting NE Baltimore with Downtown could make it a more accessible and could improve the Harford Road/ Belair Road corridor depending on the route. It may be hard to convince folks to park in Woodlawn and the western County to drive in...when you can capture the majority of Baltimore's communting population..coming in from Harford County and the NE suburbs and funnel them downtown on the train as opposed to sending them around the Beltway or through the tunnel. Reducing those vehicles will then allow folks in the west to continue to use Edmonson Ave and I-95 to 395 adn 70 to get into the City. I guess only time will tell.
My main point is not so much of whether people will ride it or not but all the redevelopment potential that is being touted seems overblown. Cherry Hill, Howard Street, and Westport (before Turner's NEW WESTPORT announcement ) havent changed since the Light Rail was introduced.. so how will West Baltimore with the Red Line
I was in favor of the Red Line.. now Im not so sure. All of these station planned along the route are suppose to generate transit oriented development (TOD) as people move to be closer to the train system.. But if you live in Edmonson Village or Harlem Park are you really going to take the Red Line downtown? You can drive or take the bus and get there just as quick. Also, will these areas actually.. REDEVELOP because of the Red Line.. Uplands and the West Baltimore MARC stations.. yes.. the rest of the areas.. not so sure. Canton and all of the SE communties are already "developed" and many residents oppose it.. but that's another story.
I have read numerous blogs/articles that advocate for extending the Metro Subway out towardsdWhite Marsh through NE Baltimore from Hopkins as a better transit option...with a new MARC station in East Baltimore at Broadway. Connecting NE Baltimore with Downtown could make it a more accessible and could improve the Harford Road/ Belair Road corridor depending on the route. It may be hard to convince folks to park in Woodlawn and the western County to drive in...when you can capture the majority of Baltimore's communting population..coming in from Harford County and the NE suburbs and funnel them downtown on the train as opposed to sending them around the Beltway or through the tunnel. Reducing those vehicles will then allow folks in the west to continue to use Edmonson Ave and I-95 to 395 adn 70 to get into the City. I guess only time will tell.
My main point is not so much of whether people will ride it or not but all the redevelopment potential that is being touted seems overblown. Cherry Hill, Howard Street, and Westport (before Turner's NEW WESTPORT announcement ) havent changed since the Light Rail was introduced.. so how will West Baltimore with the Red Line
Some systems need a push to get the TOD started , others it just occurs when the line is completed. Maryland doesn't have a statewide program like NJ or CT , so things often move slower and come out badly. MARC and MTA are run terribly , that also factors into things. If the service is terrible they won't build , or if the connections are bad they won't build. Our Riverline connects 2 bad cities along with plenty of towns in between. Very Few Developments have happen due to the connections in Camden and Trenton. After the Pennsuaken Transfer center was announced , that changed alot of Developers lined up & ridership is expected to soar. Its a combination of alot of things , but it seems like Maryland needs to develop a statewide TOD program and enhance the Baltimore system. The Regional Rail system needs to be expanded aswell , all these Transit improvements and enhancements will lead to more ridership & developments. If The MTA were to replace the older LRT cars , that might increase ridership aswell , there have been alot of issues with those cars , that scares people away....
I can't say i have faith that the red line will spur growth in troubled neighborhoods. Simply building a transit line (with the mentality that "If you build it, they will come") will not create vibrant neighborhoods. Transit lines seem most successful in areas that are already becoming more vibrant and in already vibrant.
I was in favor of the Red Line.. now Im not so sure. All of these station planned along the route are suppose to generate transit oriented development (TOD) as people move to be closer to the train system.. But if you live in Edmonson Village or Harlem Park are you really going to take the Red Line downtown? You can drive or take the bus and get there just as quick. Also, will these areas actually.. REDEVELOP because of the Red Line.. Uplands and the West Baltimore MARC stations.. yes.. the rest of the areas.. not so sure. Canton and all of the SE communties are already "developed" and many residents oppose it.. but that's another story.
I have read numerous blogs/articles that advocate for extending the Metro Subway out towardsdWhite Marsh through NE Baltimore from Hopkins as a better transit option...with a new MARC station in East Baltimore at Broadway. Connecting NE Baltimore with Downtown could make it a more accessible and could improve the Harford Road/ Belair Road corridor depending on the route. It may be hard to convince folks to park in Woodlawn and the western County to drive in...when you can capture the majority of Baltimore's communting population..coming in from Harford County and the NE suburbs and funnel them downtown on the train as opposed to sending them around the Beltway or through the tunnel. Reducing those vehicles will then allow folks in the west to continue to use Edmonson Ave and I-95 to 395 adn 70 to get into the City. I guess only time will tell.
My main point is not so much of whether people will ride it or not but all the redevelopment potential that is being touted seems overblown. Cherry Hill, Howard Street, and Westport (before Turner's NEW WESTPORT announcement ) havent changed since the Light Rail was introduced.. so how will West Baltimore with the Red Line
The red line is not in and of itself. Once completed, it will add a third rail line to the Baltimore MTA. The more complete a transit line, the more benefit it will have. Better connections = better service. I agree that at present, future development along the west side red line may be a bit slow in coming. But, in the long run I think it will be very beneficial to the area. Anyway, here's hoping.
The Metro runs through NW Baltimore and hasn't served to spur redevelopment in the decaying communities along the way for the last twenty years, so your observation is probably correct.
Heavy rail transit in Baltimore is doomed for the time being. Downtown isn't big enough of a employment hub to provide the passenger traffic that heavy rail needs to be justifiable. It's a completely different scenario from DC or New York. As it is, the light rail doesn't get you downtown from Towson/the I-83 corridor any faster than private transit does (quite the opposite).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlands
I was in favor of the Red Line.. now Im not so sure. All of these station planned along the route are suppose to generate transit oriented development (TOD) as people move to be closer to the train system.. But if you live in Edmonson Village or Harlem Park are you really going to take the Red Line downtown? You can drive or take the bus and get there just as quick. Also, will these areas actually.. REDEVELOP because of the Red Line.. Uplands and the West Baltimore MARC stations.. yes.. the rest of the areas.. not so sure. Canton and all of the SE communties are already "developed" and many residents oppose it.. but that's another story.
I have read numerous blogs/articles that advocate for extending the Metro Subway out towardsdWhite Marsh through NE Baltimore from Hopkins as a better transit option...with a new MARC station in East Baltimore at Broadway. Connecting NE Baltimore with Downtown could make it a more accessible and could improve the Harford Road/ Belair Road corridor depending on the route. It may be hard to convince folks to park in Woodlawn and the western County to drive in...when you can capture the majority of Baltimore's communting population..coming in from Harford County and the NE suburbs and funnel them downtown on the train as opposed to sending them around the Beltway or through the tunnel. Reducing those vehicles will then allow folks in the west to continue to use Edmonson Ave and I-95 to 395 adn 70 to get into the City. I guess only time will tell.
My main point is not so much of whether people will ride it or not but all the redevelopment potential that is being touted seems overblown. Cherry Hill, Howard Street, and Westport (before Turner's NEW WESTPORT announcement ) havent changed since the Light Rail was introduced.. so how will West Baltimore with the Red Line
The Metro runs through NW Baltimore and hasn't served to spur redevelopment in the decaying communities along the way for the last twenty years, so your observation is probably correct.
Heavy rail transit in Baltimore is doomed for the time being. Downtown isn't big enough of a employment hub to provide the passenger traffic that heavy rail needs to be justifiable. It's a completely different scenario from DC or New York. As it is, the light rail doesn't get you downtown from Towson/the I-83 corridor any faster than private transit does (quite the opposite).
Not true , its Baltimore and Marylands Fault for the lack of Growth.....they haven't developed a TOD policy. The Metro doesn't go anywhere , it should extend to White Marsh and connect to MARC then you'll see Ridership go up. Same with the Light Rail it should connect to MARC. The more connections , the better used and developed your system is.
The red line is not in and of itself. Once completed, it will add a third rail line to the Baltimore MTA. The more complete a transit line, the more benefit it will have. Better connections = better service. I agree that at present, future development along the west side red line may be a bit slow in coming. But, in the long run I think it will be very beneficial to the area. Anyway, here's hoping.
Yeah it seems like all that money that went into widening I-95 NE of Baltimore could have been used better.. Maybe to create a Rail Lane like the Metro Subway along 795. I agree with what tallybalt said... the Metro subway did nothing for NW Baltimore...but then again it was designed as a "park and ride" for suburbanites and not with City development in mind. If a line were built up NE Baltimore along Harford or Belair Road.. it would be underground and shouldnt have any parking (I know it would be expensive) Those neighborhoods would likely fight it as well since it would be disruptive and they may fear that it would not add value to their communities either. Also.. those neighborhoods are more suburban in nature and thus there wouldnt be much TOD unless it was concentrated exclusively along Harford or Belair Roads and does not intrude into the single family neighborhoods... It would be similiar to Arlington, VA along the Rossyln Ballston Metro Corridor. Ballston, Virginia Square, Clarendon, Courthouse, and Rossyln Metro stops are surrounded by midrise apartment and office buildings.. but you go one block off of those main corridors and you have neighborhoods very similiar to what you have in NE Baltimore with single family homes, craftsman cottages and Four Squares. Of course Baltimore is not NOVA.. but it would be nice to see areas like Gardenville and sections of Frankford develop has mini densely populated commercial centers along Belair Road. I wouldnt want the Metro to go up Harford Road.. Lauraville and Hamilton have a nice main street feel that should be preserved.... Belair Road seems more "urban" and has a bunch of places that could be redeveloped.. just my two cents
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
