FAQ's and Glossary

Construction will take place in phases to help maintain access along the corridor. Regular updates will be shared so the community knows what work is happening and when.

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Transit Priority Project – or RAISE Project for short – is a collaborative effort between the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) with the assistance of other agencies such as the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA), Baltimore County and BGE.

The RAISE Project spans from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in western Baltimore County through Baltimore City, including Downtown, to the Fox Ridge community in eastern Baltimore County. The RAISE Project will focus on two of the highest-ridership routes in the MDOT MTA transit system - the CityLink Orange and CityLink Blue.

The RAISE Project improves the reliability, speed, safety, and accessibility of transit by including the following elements:

• Dedicated Bus Lanes (DBLs), Bus Bulbs and a Queue Jump on select congested segments along the CityLink Blue & CityLink Orange bus routes:
• Full-time DBL along Edmondson Avenue from Cooks Lane to North Woodington Road and from North Hilton Street to North Rosedale StreetFull-time DBL along Edmondson Avenue from Cooks Lane to North Woodington Road and from North Hilton Street to North Rosedale Street
• Peak period DBL along Edmondson Avenue from North Woodington Road to North Hilton Street and from North Rosedale Street to North Longwood Street 
• Full-time DBL along West Franklin Street from North Longwood Street to North Warwick Avenue 
• Full-time DBL along Fayette Street from President Street to North Central Avenue (westbound only) (the queue jump is located within this segment)
• Bus bulbs from Central Avenue to North Highland Avenue
• Transit Signal Priority (TSP) at up to 55 traffic lights along the corridor to prioritize bus movements
• Bus stop upgrades at over 120 locations - ADA compliance, trash cans, pedestrian lighting
• Signage upgrades at high-transfer activity ‘hubs’ - wayfinding and real-time arrival information
• Pedestrian & bicycle safety improvements - trees, lighting, curb extensions, sidewalks, new crosswalks
• Bicycle connection between Downtown Baltimore and West Baltimore MARC rail station

This Project emphasizes improving the safety of pedestrians and people with mobility challenges by addressing infrastructure gaps, missing links, and barriers to access that disproportionately impact those who do not have alternative means of transportation. The RAISE Project will improve ADA access to over 100 bus stops to allow individuals with disabilities to access transit and sidewalks that are currently inaccessible. These improvements will be focused in areas with the highest crash rates, which are disproportionately in communities with higher poverty rates.

No. But if the buses can be more reliable and travel faster, they can make more trips in a given amount of time.

The $50 million project is funded by a $22 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) 2021 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, as well as a $18 million investment from the Maryland Department of Transportation and $10 million from the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Visit mta.maryland.gov/articles/325 for more information.

The project does not include any residential or commercial displacements. Potential impacts are limited to existing bus stops, curb ramps, and sidewalks, the majority of which are located within State, City, or County right-of-way.

MTA evaluated the potential environmental impacts of the RAISE Project through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and determined that impacts would be minimal. The project received approval as a Categorical Exclusion (CE), confirming that no significant environmental impacts are anticipated. The approved NEPA documentation supports advancement of the project into final design and implementation.

The RAISE project will improve existing transit services sooner along the CityLink Blue and CityLink Orange routes through the addition of dedicated bus lanes, bus bulbs, a queue jump, transit signal priority, and bus stop amenities. The Red Line is a high-frequency, high capacity rapid transit line for the Baltimore region. The RAISE project is funded for construction starting in the Summer of 2026. The Red Line team continues to The Red Line project team continues to evaluate strategies to advance the 14-mile premium rapid transit corridor while balancing costs, funding availability, and delivery timelines.

While the Red Line is a longer term investment in a new rail line, the RAISE Project will improve existing transit service along the CityLink Blue and CityLink Orange routes through the additional of dedicated bus lanes, bus bulbs, a queue jump, transit signal priority, and bus stop amenities. The RAISE Project construction starts during the summer of 2026.

On-going feedback is encouraged throughout the life of the RAISE Project. You may:

• Visit the project website at RAISEBaltimore.com to learn more about the project and upcoming public meetings, submit a comment form and view interactive web mapping
• Email the project team at info@RAISEBaltimore.com
• Join the project mailing list by sending a request to info@RAISEBaltimore.com or by completing a comment form.

Don’t worry if you cannot attend a meeting. All information presented at our public meetings is available on this project webpage for viewing, and the project team can be reached at any time using the contact information provided.

You may provide comments via email to info@RAISEBaltimore.com or by completing a comment form.

You may comment directly within interactive mapping developed for this project: RAISE Baltimore Transit Priority Project Comment Map

Featured within this map are the locations of existing CityLink Orange and CityLink Blue Line bus stops, pedestrian facilities, transit signal priority areas, and proposed and existing dedicated bus lanes.

Comments and concerns can be expressed using pushpin icons for the following categories:

• Bus Stop Amenities
• Bus Operations
• Traffic Congestion
• Pedestrian / Bicycle Facilities
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

If there’s a location where you’d like to comment, please add it to the map by following these steps:

• 1. Select an icon from the menu bar on the right
• 2. Click on the map where you want to add the feature
• 3. Fill in the pop-up with any additional comments that you may have
• 4. Click Save to finalize the addition

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the MDOT MTA Transit Information Contact Center – 410-539-5000; 866-743-3682; TTY 410-539-3497; MD Relay users dial 7-1-1. Or, MDOT MTA Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance Programs (EOCP) -- ADA/Title VI Coordinator at (410) 767-3944, email address: MTAEqualAccess@mta.maryland.gov, or, Bart Plano at bplano@mta.maryland.gov.

Dedicated bus lanes will be evaluated by their ability to improve the following metrics:

• Travel Time Reliability - The consistency of travel time from day to day and at various times of the day.
• Travel Delay - Anything which interferes with bus travel including traffic congestion, crashes, or operational failure. Travel delay is the main source of poor travel time reliability.

Only buses, emergency vehicles, school buses and bicycles are permitted to travel in the bus only lanes. Other vehicles are only permitted to enter a bus lane in order to make a right turn at the next intersection or to access parallel parking spots next to the bus lane.

Baltimore City Transportation Enforcement Officers, the Baltimore Police Department, and MDOT MTA Police handle violation enforcement. Parking or stopping in a bus lane may result in a $250 fine, and driving in the bus lane may result in a fine up to $500.

Creating dedicated bus lanes and accommodating bicycles along the RAISE corridor will have an impact on the movement of automobiles; however, it will also create several benefits for the many residents that depend on transit to access jobs, education, and recreational activities. The dedicated bus lanes will improve travel times and transit reliability for two of the highest ridership routes in our system and will overall be beneficial to the transportation network. The proposed improvements will result in removal of some parking spaces, reduced vehicular capacity, and slight changes in traffic operations. Potential impacts are being investigated now based on the proposed improvements and will be refined as the project progresses. If parking removal is needed, MDOT MTA and BCDOT will provide notifications to affected stakeholders and will identify alternative parking options to the best of their ability.

In 2019, MDOT MTA published the “Dedicated Bus Lanes Before and After Study,” which presented findings on the effectiveness of dedicated bus lanes derived from data collected before and after the implementation of BaltimoreLink bus network restructuring. MDOT MTA found improvements in travel times for 79% of the bus lanes during peak periods, and travel time savings averaged 9.3% per corridor. Furthermore, bus lanes have not had a noticeable effect on general traffic, with additional travel times averaging less than one minute.

No. The RAISE Baltimore project’s purpose is to provide enhancements to the existing CityLink Blue and CityLink Orange bus routes; whereas a BRT project would include additional service, upgraded stations, dedicated guideway and the potential for new branded vehicles.

Median Running Dedicated Bus Lanes, which would function similar to a more complex Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, have been considered along segments of the RAISE corridor. Results show that this type of bus lane is not cost-effective, would incur greater impacts, would still require local bus service, and therefore will not be considered further for the RAISE Baltimore project.

The RAISE Baltimore project’s purpose is to provide enhancements to the existing CityLink Blue and CityLink Orange bus routes; however, MDOT MTA and local jurisdictions are currently researching cost estimates for other projects that could be implemented mid- and long-term along the East-West Corridor that include Light Rail Transit (LRT).

You can see proposed improvement locations by viewing mapping at the project website: RAISEBaltimore.com, attend an Open House, or talk with a project team member at a pop-up meeting along the RAISE corridor.

You may also request a virtual or in-person community meeting with the project team by sending an email to info@RAISEBaltimore.com or by submitting a comment on the project website Interactive Map.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and access for persons with disabilities. This act works to ensure nondiscriminatory transportation in support of its mission to enhance the social and economic quality of life for all Americans.

Complete Streets - Complete Streets will be designed to address safety, be accessible, improve mobility, ensure equity, and reflect Baltimore’s unique communities, while prioritizing the movement of the streets’ most vulnerable users. Baltimore’s citywide modal hierarchy—recommended by the Complete Streets Advisory Committee and endorsed by BCDOT—is prioritized as:

1. Walking
2. Cycling / Public Transit / Micromobility
3. Taxi / Commercial Transit / Shared Vehicles
4. Single Occupant Automobiles

Complete Streets Manual March 2021

Curb Extensions (Bus Bulbs) are widened sidewalks that, when built at bus stops, expand the bus boarding area into the travel lane. By allowing buses to stop within the travel lane, buses avoid having to wait to re-enter traffic after stopping, creating travel time savings for bus riders. Curb extensions also improve pedestrian safety by shortening the crossing distance at intersections and physically and visually narrowing the roadway to slow vehicular speeds.

Photo: MDOT MTA Transit Priority Toolkit

Dedicated Bus Lanes (DBL) convert existing travel or parking lanes in each direction to a bus-only lane using striping, markings, red paint and signage. Red paint emphasizes that the lane is for transit only and deters drivers from using the lane, thus reducing the amount of time that buses are slowed by traffic congestion. DBLs would also allow safe shared use with bicycles.

Photo: MDOT MTA Transit Priority Toolkit

An Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station is a piece of equipment that supplies electrical power for charging plug-in electric vehicles (including hybrids, neighborhood electric vehicles, trucks, buses, and others).

Far Side Bus Stop - When a bus stop is placed on the far side of an intersection, the bus moves through the intersection then pulls over to the bus stop. Generally, “far side” bus stops are preferred since they’ve been shown to reduce stop time and increase safety for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Photo: MDOT MTA Transit Priority Toolkit

Real-time Information Signs (RTIS) are digital signs that display route destinations, frequencies, and estimated arrival times for buses, pulling data from several information technology systems to provide valuable information for bus riders. Buses in MDOT MTA’s system are equipped with GPS systems to report real-time data, which is shared through a mobile app and real-time signs at several transit hubs.

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between dense, compact urban form and public transport use.

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a technology that adjusts the traffic signal timing when transit vehicles are present to allow them to more quickly travel through the intersection. This technology can significantly reduce bus delay, which improves travel time and reliability for transit riders. MDOT MTA has implemented TSP at 66 intersections in the MDOT MTA system and a 2018 analysis showed that run times along certain segments implementing TSP dropped by as much as 20% during peak hours.

Photo: MDOT MTA Transit Priority Toolkit