Statewide Coalition Supports Governor Moore Plan to Revive the Red Line
June 15, 2023
The Transform Maryland Transportation Coalition, composed of more than thirty organizations with members throughout our state, strongly supports Governor Moore's announcement to proceed with plans to revive the Red Line across Baltimore City and County. We encourage MDOT, Baltimore City, Baltimore County and the region’s leaders to work with community stakeholders to support an expedited completion of the Red Line using the original planning, engineering and environmental reviews to save time and money.
The Red Line meets the critical need for Baltimore to create a true network of high-quality, rapid, mass transit lines. Greater Baltimore and Maryland cannot thrive without addressing this missing piece in the region's transportation system.
The Red Line also delivers transit equity. While the expansion of highway infrastructure has largely benefited white, affluent communities, disease from pollution and lack of investments in other transportation modes have disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities, low-income neighborhoods, and people with disabilities.
Investments like the Red Line will help address these inequities and provide all residents with better access to jobs, food, healthcare, education, and recreation while slashing climate pollution by reducing vehicle trips.
Now is the time for action. The Red Line must be the centerpiece of a more reliable, equitable, and connected transit system for Central Maryland. We applaud all efforts by Governor Moore, the MTA, and the Maryland General Assembly to increase the frequency and reliability of core transit service as quickly as possible to better serve current transit riders and attract new ones, including providing the operating funds and personnel necessary to do so.
We ask all Greater Baltimore leaders and other stakeholders -- including business, labor, community groups and schools -- to engage in MDOT's planning process and unite behind building a project that will enable our city, region and state to thrive in the 21st century.
For more information, email info@tmtcoalition.org or go to www.tmtcoalition.org