Time: 8:00 – 10:00 AM
Location: Baltimore Community Foundation (2 East Read Street)
April 15, 2016
Attendees: Father Michael Bishop, Robin Budish, Ben Cohen, George Frazier, Ben Gilardi, Ben Groff, Phil LaCombe, Jim Leanos, Kristen McGuire, Eric Norton, Klaus Philipsen, Kevin Quinn, Michael Romeo, Jimmy Rouse, Jim Smith, Marc Szarkowski
Jimmy Rouse, on behalf of Transit Choices welcomed everyone and opened the meeting. Jimmy then introduced Kevin Quinn (Director, Office of Planning and Programming with the MTA), and explained that the purpose of the meeting was to have Kevin and his colleague Marc Szarkowski respond to our additional questions and comments on BaltimoreLink from the March 4, 2016 meeting.
Kevin’s responses were supplemented with the following PowerPoint presentation highlights. A copy of the complete presentation can be found here. Transit Choices Slides 4-15-16
MTA PowerPoint Presentation Overview: BaltimoreLink – A Plan to Connect Baltimore
- When will we see BaltimoreLink 2.0?
- Network Redesign
- Key Capital Investments
- Funding
- Metrics
- Summer 2016 Public Outreach
Discussion Summary:
– MTA is conducting multiple Title VI analyses throughout each iteration of the network redesign.
– BaltimoreLink version 2.0 will be released in July 2016.
– Final BaltimoreLink version to be released in November 2016, followed by public hearings in December and January.
– The second half of June 2016 will feature some briefings with stakeholder groups followed by public workshops from July-September 2016.
– MTA and CityDOT are pursuing a TIGER grant for a North Avenue project featuring dedicated lanes, Transit Signal Prioritization, Metro station improvements, Light Rail station improvements, bike facilities, bike share, repaving, and streetscaping.
– A before/after trip planner is scheduled for release in summer 2016.
– New bus maps will show interconnections with other transit modalities.
– MTA is planning to roll out a new BaltimoreLink website in July 2016.
– It was suggested that the MTA should work with the Baltimore Development Corporation and Sparrows Point on issues pertaining to economic development.
Jimmy Rouse concluded the meeting by thanking everyone for attending, and acknowledged Kevin Quinn for being such a great communicator. Kevin was invited to attend the upcoming June 2016 meeting to share much more on the BaltimoreLink metrics analysis, as well as an update on version 2.0.