Maryland Transit seeks community input to plan Red Line stations

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is seeking community partners to design future Red Line stations. Station Area Advisory Committees will begin meeting this fall to provide input on key aspects of Red Line station design and station area planning. Interested community stakeholders such as station area residents, businesses, churches, organizations and institutions may nominate themselves to serve on a committee.

Nomination forms are
available at www.baltimoreredline.com and are due August 25. 



"Because Red Line stations
will become an important part of the communities in which they are located, the
committees provide an opportunity for community residents to participate in the
process of designing the stations," said Ralign T. Wells, MTA Administrator. "The
creation of advisory committees was a commitment we made in the Red Line
Community Compact, and we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with community
residents and business owners on the best possible station for their community."

Committees will consist of
15 to 20 neighborhood residents, business owners, land use and transportation
planners and architects and design professionals and will advise MTA on the
following important design decisions

• Station Location –
Station locations shown to this point were representative and will be finalized
based on further input. The committees will provide community perspectives that
will help finalize the locations.

• Station Design –
Committees will provide input on what each station will look like, including
materials, amenities for riders, safety and security features, lighting and
access. 



• Station-Related Alignment
and Traffic Issues – In some locations, decisions need to be made about traffic
and parking. Committees will help determine the right mix of parking and
capacity for automobiles.

• Station Naming – The
station names being used are only conceptual. Committees will provide input on the
station names to make the system easy for future riders to find their way
around, as well as provide recognition for communities.

• Station Area Planning –
Stations can positively influence communities up to 1/2 mile away. Committees will
ensure that stations support community plans and visions, including development
and redevelopment, if that is appropriate. Consistent with the Community
Compact, transit-oriented development and creating and sustaining mixed-income
communities will be a goal. 



Once the nomination process
is closed on August 25, a selection panel of representatives from the Red Line
Citizens Advisory Council, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, urban design
associations, community interest groups and MTA will ensure that each committee
is comprised of volunteers with diverse perspectives and skills.



The Red Line is a 14-mile
east-west light rail system extending from Woodlawn in Baltimore County to the
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Campus in east Baltimore. It will provide
convenient connections to the Metro Subway, the existing Light Rail system,
MARC commuter trains and local bus routes to create a comprehensive regional
transit network. The preferred alternative includes 20 stations and, with the
exception of a tunnel through downtown and under Cooks Lane, will be
constructed largely adjacent to or within existing streets and highways. The
Red Line is projected to carry 60,000 riders per day in 2030 and will cost
approximately $1.8 billion to construct.