Live from the Third Rail: Archive

September 24, 2004

Nothing ever seems to work in Baltimore

As a former resident, I can't tell you how much time I've spent discussing and lamenting how the city has a preternatural inclination to shoot itself in the foot and waste every advantage it has (see here, here and here). Finally state Transportation Secretary Robert Flannagan gets the message:

"Baltimore has not yet figured out ... how to make transit projects [stimulate] economic development," he told a group of business leaders, government officials and community activists at the World Trade Center.

Specifically, he notes how the city has ruined the opportunity to improve the area around Penn Station. A very nice station surrounded by large industrial spaces just itching for conversion to something useful, the city has been slow to part with the warehouses it owns nearby, therefore abdicating any leadership role in making the neighborhood a real urban hub.

But it's worse than that. Let's take a look at some of Baltmore's major transportation screwups and ripoffs of recent years:

A light rail that is single-track in portions, so as to ensure the minimum level of service;

A subway that doesn't connect up to the light rail and generally doesn't go anywhere useful. Until a few years ago, it wasn't even open on Sundays;

A brand-new bus station located in an empty neighborhood far away from local transportation connections and other services;

Rickety, infrequent, filthy buses that do most of the people-moving;

A popular commuter rail service to Washington that is hobbled by infrequent service, including a lack of any weekend service at all.

If Baltimore imported its municipal leaders to Venice, it would be 10 feet underwater by now.

Post Author: rj3 | 2:40 PM | Link | TrackBacks

Comments

I love my hometown, and everything you've said is correct about the transportation situation in Baltimore. The scary part is that Martin O'Malley loves to import his Police Commissioners from New York. But, I guess trying to bring any transit planners down just won't happen.

All this while the Port Authority finishes JFK Airtrain, connecting the LIRR and Subway directly to the terminal at JFK. Only the aforementioned Light Rail connects directly with the BWI Terminal. MARC/Amtrak passengers have to take a shuttle.

While NY plans and builds the Fulton Avenue station to create further connectivity between existing subway lines right now, the leaders in our region sit on a transit plan that at least addresses the mistakes of the past when looking towards the future.

While NY plans to extend the LIRR into GCT and possibly into Lower Manhattan, we build a bus station *miles* from the train station and airport.

This isn't even counting the construction of the station at the former WTC, connecting PATH and numerous subway lines, and if leaders get their way, the LIRR. All aimed at bringing economic development into Manhattan.

And it's not even counting the Moniyhan/Farley Station, which, depending on who one speaks to, shouldn't even be counted.

But while all this is going on, I hear no support from Mr. Flanagan or Mr. Ehrlich for any part of the existing transit plan, nor any calls for a revamped plan. Only castigation towards Mr. O'Malley (who deserves it), but nothing in the way of new ideas. Only their plan to put more buses on the already congested roads of the DC Suburbs.

The Light Rail, Subway, and transit buses are run by the Maryland Transit Administration. It's not a city agency like New York's MTA. What I'd like to hear is that Annapolis and 100 Holliday Street are taking some action. They're in this one together.

Yes, New York is going to get a larger amount of money due to 9-11 and due to its current position as the financial center of the world. However, I'm not even hearing much in the way of leadership coming from any elected officials.

Posted by: Chris at September 24, 2004 6:41 PM