Public Comment Portal

 Improve public transit services

While walking and biking are the most efficient modes for short trips, public transit remains a central component of a sustainable city. Baltimore's current public transit system is overloaded and inefficient. In order to better serve these riders and increase future ridership, plans to add new bus and rail lines, reduce trip times, and improve the rider’s experience will be critical steps to move towards the creation of a vibrant, healthy Baltimore.

Strategy A: Make software upgrades to allow for transit signal priority

Implement transit-signal priority (TSP) for public transit vehciles.  The City is working with the MTA to evaluate software upgrades necessary to give public transit vehicles priority at traffic signals, extending green times or shortening red times.  TSP was implemented on Howard Street for the Light Rail but required hardware changes.  TSP could improve transit travel times and on-time performance of transit vehicles on many corridors while also decreasing traffic congestion and emissions.

• Timeframe: Short-term 
• Type: Policy/Operations
• Funding Source: Federal Funds
• Lead Partners:: DoT, MTA

Strategy B: Implement an integrated system of downtown shuttle and trolley routes

Increase transit access with new shuttle and trolley routes.  Baltimore City DoT is planning to debut three new shuttle routes in July 2009 to connect neighborhoods, tourist destinations, and institutions, serving local needs and complementing the regional transit system. The free shuttle will alleviate the need for automobile use downtown for business, personal, and tourist use. The routes will be funded by an increase in parking taxes already approved by City Council. The City is also working with other partners to explore the potential for a fixed-rail trolley in the Charles Street corridor.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Operations
• Funding Source: Parking Fees
• Lead Partners:: DoT, MTA, BDC, Downtown Partnership

Strategy C: Work with the MTA to expand QuickBuses to more high-volume transit corridors

Create faster bus service along select troutes with QuickBus.  The QuickBus routes stop less frequently than regular local bus service, use hybrid vehicles, and have real-time information signs and other amenities at their stops. The MTA currently offers one QuickBus route (#40) in Baltimore which operates in the proposed Red Line corridor. The MTA is evaluating the potential to add a QuickBus route in the York/Greenmount corridor with the potential to expand the program to other corridors.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Advocacy
• Funding Source: State Funds
• Lead Partners: DoT, MTA

Strategy D: Bring the Red Line Transit project to Baltimore

Support the proposed Red Line, a 14-mile east-west transit line that will provide connection between the Woodlawn area of Baltimore County, West Baltimore, downtown Baltimore, Inner Harbor East, Fells Point, Canton, and the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center — making travel in these heavily congested corridors simpler, faster, and cheaper.  Baltimore City has developed a Community Compact to set standards for the project's implementation and is actively working to support the project.

• Timeframe: Long-term
• Type: Advocacy
• Funding Source: Federal Funds
• Lead Partners: DoT, MTA

Strategy E: Work with the MTA to develop and implement an ideal transit service profile for MTA routes

Evaluate how well routes match with the “ideal transit service” profile, which addresses operating hours, regularity, passenger amenities, and passenger loads. Partner with MTA to move 2-3 core Baltimore bus routes annually to the ideal profile.  In the long-term the MTA and the City can establish public-private partnerships to augment MTA service in transit-challenged neighborhoods and employment areas, especially where “ideal transit service” is not cost-effective.

• Timeframe: Mid-term               
• Type: Advocacy
• Funding Source: MTA Funds
• Lead Partners: DoT, MTA, Advocacy groups

 Make Baltimore bicycle and pedestrian friendly

Walking and bicycling are the most immediately accessible and affordable transportation modes. With 35% of Baltimore residents without automobile access, increasing the safety and convenience of these active modes will have multiple benefits. Infrastructure that supports and encourages walking and cycling calms traffic and leads to reductions in traffic injury and death. As modes of transport, walking and cycling also promote health, enhance neighborhood connectivity, and encourage development scaled to people, rather than cars. Making the built environment highly supportive of walking and cycling will lead to a healthier, more complete city.

Strategy A: Implement the Baltimore Bicycle Master Plan

Improve bicycling conditions in Baltimore by implementing the Bicycle Master Plan.  The plan, approved in 2006, lays out a network of bike routes and addresses other facility needs.  Some routes have already been implemented and work has begun on the second phase of implementation.  While the City needs to go beyond the strategies included in the Master Plan, it provides a framework and starting point.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Capital, Operations
• Funding Source: Existing Program Funding, Federal Funds
• Lead Partners:  DoT, MBAC

Strategy B: Develop a Bike to Work program for Baltimore

Increase the number of Baltimoreans commuting by bicycle by expanding the Bike to Work program.  Baltimore City has partnered with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) on efforts around Bike to Work Day each May and could build on that to focus on supporting and improving conditions for bike commuting in the city.  Aspects of the program could include encouraging businesses and other employers to allow bikes in the workplace, a “commuter challenge” to have companies compete for the highest proportion of employees bicycling to work, and City leadership by providing showering and changing facilities for City staff that bike to work.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Partnership
• Funding Source: Cost Neutral
• Lead Partners:  DoT, Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council (MBAC), Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC)

Strategy C: Evaluate the creation of a bicycle sharing service

Current data shows that 35% of Baltimore’s citizensare without automobile access.  Creating a bike sharing program would help to provide a new healthy transportation option.  Baltimore would benefit from an outside vendor providing the service at no cost to the City government.  Bike sharing generally increases overall ridership and helps local bike shops in sales and maintenance. 

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type:  Partnership
• Funding Source: Private Sector
• Lead Partners: DoT, Private Sector

Strategy D: Expand the Safe Routes to Schools program

Baltimore City has one of the highest rates of child injury and death due to pedestrian conflicts with cars in the Maryland. The Safe Routes to School program encourages and enables more children to safely walk and bike to school through engineering, enforcement, encouragement, and education. Baltimore has implemented strategies from this program at several schools and should expand them to all schools where the majority of children walk to classes.

• Timeframe: Mid-Term
• Type: Policy and Operations; Capitol
• Funding Source: State of Maryland Safe Routes to School Program
• Lead Partners:: DoT, BCPSS

Strategy E: Implement ‘Sunday Streets’ recreational street closure program

Promote walking, bicycling, and exercising by temporarily closing select streets to automobiles.  Baltimore City is planning to close 33rd Street, Art Museum Drive, and Wyman Park Drive to automobiles for four consecutive Sundays in April/May 2009 to create an auto-free space for public interaction and use.  This builds upon the Ciclovia movement in Bogota, Columbia and the recent examples in places such as Portland, Oregon, New York City, Chicago, El Paso, and Miami.

• Timeframe: Short-Term
• Type: Policy and Operations; Partnership
• Funding Source: Grant Programs; City Funds
• Lead Partners:Baltimore Office of Promotion of the Arts (BOPA), DoT, MBAC, One Less Car

Strategy F: Increase sidewalk repair miles

Repair sidewalks to encourage people to walk, allow business to use the space, and improve the public perceptions of neighborhoods. Currrently, uneven sidewalks present a hazard to pedestrians, especially those with limited mobility, and prevent businesses from beneficially using their outdoor space.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Operations
• Funding Source: City Funds
• Lead Partners: DoT

Facilitate shared-vehicle usage

The City of Baltimore increasingly endures traffic jams, parking shortages, and citizens unable to afford motor vehicle ownership. Active transportation can help reduce traffic congestion. Yet, even in the most walkable, transit-friendly city, people need occasional access to a car. Car-sharing programs allow individuals and families to give up the burden of car ownership in favor of a more affordable option. Making such programs available to everyone in Baltimore will further support sustainable transportation goals.

Strategy A: Establish Baltimore CarShare program

Provide a network of conveniently located vehicles for members to rent for as little as a half an hour.  The Parking Authority of Baltimore City is helping to launch Baltimore CarShare, a non-profit car sharing organization that will provide vehicles at affordable hourly rates that include maintenance, insurance, designated parking, and gas.  Car-sharing has been shown to allow members to give up one or more of their cars knowing that a shared vehicle is available nearby whenever they need it. As a result a single car-sharing vehicle can replace 20 personal vehicles, freeing up space for parking and reducing transportation costs for members.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Partnership
• Funding Source: Existing Program Funds
• Lead Partners: DOT, Partners, Car Share Executive Board

Strategy B: Expand the CityCommute Rideshare program

Publicize and expand the Baltimore Department of Transportation’s program that matches carpoolers with similar travel patterns.  The program also works to promote commuter alternatives by educating on the benefits of using alternative transportation rather than driving alone in single-occupancy vehicles.  Commuter Choice Maryland provides incentives that encourage commuters that normally drive alone to switch to transit or vanpools. The SmartTrips program in Portland is a model for potential expansion of the CityCommute program, having been able to reduce SOV trips by 9-13 percent with intensive outreach and education efforts.  Internet services like GoLoco.org and CarpoolConnect.com can also link potential carpoolers.

• Timeframe: Mid-term
• Type: Policy/Operations, Partnership
• Funding Source: State and Federal funds
• Lead Partners: DoT, Parking Authority, MTA

Strategy C: Leverage new Baltimore Green Building Standards to increase shared-vehicle use

Baltimore is creating original green building standards for commercial and multi-use projects over 10,000 sq ft.  These standards should encourage the integration of shared-vehicles into appropriate new construction projects.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Standard
• Funding Source: Cost Neutral
• Lead Partners: BOS, HCD, DoT

 Measure and improve the equity of transportation

The National Housing Conference’s “A Heavy Load” study found that annual transportation costs for working families in Baltimore are $9,506, compared with incomes averaging around $30,000.  Baltimore’s low-income residents have few transportation options, experience relatively low-quality service, and pay heavily for those limited options.  However, improvements in transportation options and a reduction in costs could allow working families to reach better jobs and devote less of their income to transportation.

Strategy A: Track the disparity of transportation costs by neighborhood relative to income

Calculate and track the transportation costs for Baltimore's neighborhoods relative to the income in those neighborhoods.  The Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA) currently publishes the "Vital Signs" report on an annual basis and can build on the research done by the National Housing Coalition's "Heavy Load" report, which found that low-income Baltimore workers had annual transportation costs of $9,506 relative to incomes of roughly $30,000.

• Timeframe: Short-term
• Type: Partnership
• Funding Source: Grant Programs
• Lead Partners: DoT, BNIA

Strategy B: Identify strategies to reduce the disparity in cost of transportation relative to income

Use the findings of the "Heavy Load" study and the data tracked by BNIA to identify strategies and develop programs to reduce the relative costs of transportation.  These will include some strategies for other goals (car-sharing, improved transit quality, better bike facilities, increasing destinations within walking distance) and other strategies not yet determined.

• Timeframe: Mid-term
• Type: Policy
• Funding Source: Funding Analysis Needed
• Lead Partners: Baltimore DoT, BCS

Strategy C: Work with the MTA to measure the quality of transit service in Baltimore neighborhoods

Develop measures to monitor the quality of transit service by geographic location to ensure that residents have access to high quality transit, especially in areas with low-vehicle ownership.  The analysis can include measures in the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual or other sources to track the quality of transit service.

• Timeframe: Mid-term
• Type: Partnership
• Funding Source: State Funds
• Lead Partners: Baltimore DoT, MTA

 Increase transportation funding for sustainable modes of travel

The cost of funding transportation improvements can seem overwhelming.  A desirable alignment for the Red Line would cost over $1.5 billion and just maintaining city streets and bridges built decades ago is a vast undertaking.  But 70% of ballot initiatives for transit projects succeeded in the 2008 election and other regions like Denver, Phoenix, and Charlotte have developed regional funding sources.  While expensive, sustainable transportation projects are still far cheaper than building or expanding freeways.  Moreover, building and maintaining infrastructure is an excellent opportunity to create new jobs. 

Strategy A: Advocate for more funding for transit and sustainable transportation

Organize transportation advocates and government leaders to develop a unified voice to advocate for transit funding at all levels, especially as the stimulus measure and GREEN-TEA are being developed.  Advocacy should also include opposition to the use of funds for major roadway capacity expansions such as the Inter County Connector, a third Bay Bridge, and further widening of I-95.

• Timeframe: Short-term 
• Type: Advocacy
• Funding Source: Cost Neutral
• Lead Partners: Mayor, City Council, State & Federal Legislators, MTA

Strategy B: Implement goals of Mayor’s Transportation Investment Commission (TIC) report

Implement the draft recommendations of TIC, which include the following goals a) Constraining growth in operations spending, b) Directing a great percentage of HUR to transportation operations/capital spending, c) Investing in money-saving technology, consolidating BCDOT facilities, selling excess properties, d) Streamlining and increasing parking tax, e) Raising parking fines/fees, e) Increasing conduit rental rates, f) Recovering 50% of user costs for special events, g) Making greater use of financing strategies, h) Expecting private sector participation in growth related projects, i) Increasing advocacy for State grants/discretionary spending.

• Timeframe: Short-term 
• Type: Policy/Operations
• Funding Source: To Be Determined Upon Adoption of TIC Report
• Lead Partners: Baltimore DoT, Private Sector

Strategy C: Explore options for a new regional transit funding source and a larger local role in managing the MTA

Identify more funding to implement projects like the Red and Green Lines. While creating a new, locally operated transit system may not be viable, it may be possible to pair increased transit funding with greater accountability and a larger role in the MTA for local jurisdictions.  One option would be to create a new, ongoing regional “smart growth” funding source to support sustainable transportation.

• Timeframe: Short & Mid-term   
• Type: Advocacy
• Funding Source:
• Lead Partners: Mayor, City Council, State legislators, DoT, SurroundingCounties, MTA

Strategy D: Expand eligible expenses under sustainable transportation programs

Broaden Maryland's existing Commuter Tax Credit program that provides incentives for individuals and companies to purchase transit passes and expand the program to support other sustainable transportation options. Areas of expansion may include live-near-your-work, telecommuting, and bicycle commuting programs.

• Timeframe: Short-term 
• Type: Legislative
• Funding Source: State Funds
• Lead Partners: State legislators, DoT, MTA

Strategy E: Advocate shifting funding from roadway capacity expansion to transit, bicycling, and walking projects

Oppose the use of funds for major roadway capacity expansions such as the Inter County Connector, a third Bay Bridge, and further widening of I-95, addressing those issues using pricing for existing capacity shifting the funding to more environmentally sustainable modes such as transit, bicycling, and walking

• Timeframe: Ongoing     
• Type: Advocacy
• Funding Source: Cost Neutral
• Lead Partners: Mayor, City Council, State legislators, Federal legislators, MTA