Baltimore is made of communities. Through the highs and lows of time, those
communities have held our city together. And while history can never be undone,
we can do our best to repair the mistakes of the past. As we prepare to build the
Red Line, the City of Baltimore and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) plan
to do just that—starting with the demolition of a wall that has divided communities
for 40 years. Thousands of people were forced to move out of their homes,
and since then have made their voices heard about how their communities
were affected.In West Baltimore, the Highway to Nowhere runs for 1.5 miles severing what used
to be a vibrant and thriving middle class community (nearly 1,000 homes across
20 city blocks). At one end stands a wall rising nearly 150 feet high that has kept
communities apart. But that's going to change. It's time for a fresh start, for
reconnecting neighborhoods, and through the promises made in the Community
Compact, the Red Line is at the heart of these efforts.Last Friday, Governor O'Malley kicked off the demolition of the wall at the
end of the Highway to Nowhere, marking the first stage of a project which will
accommodate the Red Line. As part of plans to rebuild the West Baltimore MARC station—and to realize the MARC Station Area Master Plan, which the community
helped write—the MTA will remove obsolete ramps, pavement and a man-made
hill at the end of the expressway. Payson Street will be reconnected, allowing
people to move more easily between neighborhoods.This first phase of the project is expected to take nearly a year to complete,
with 100% of the demolition cost covered by funds from the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act. Then, as new on/off-ramps are constructed and new
commuter parking areas established, space will be left for the rails and station
of the Red Line. With the community at its core, this project marks a new
beginning for West Baltimore, one that honors the past and embraces the
potential of the future.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Please join us at one of Baltimores many festivals to learn more about the
Red Line project. Representatives will be on hand to answer your questions.Baltimore Book Festival September 24-26, 2010
