PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS

The RAISE Project includes several elements to improve the reliability, speed, safety and accessibility of transit, in addition to bicycle and pedestrian safety and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility improvements. The Project applies strategies and design guidance from both the MDOT MTA Transit Priority Toolkit and the Baltimore City Complete Streets Manual to directly address existing challenges on the project corridor, which carries two of the region’s highest-ridership bus routes – the CityLink Blue and CityLink Orange lines.  Together, these investments facilitate safer multi-modal travel along this critical corridor.

Dedicated Bus Lanes

The RAISE Project would implement dedicated bus lanes along segments of the CityLink Blue & CityLink Orange bus routes, reducing transit delay, reducing conflicts between buses and vehicles, increasing on-time performance, and allowing shared use with bicycles. Dedicated bus lanes would be added by converting travel or parking lanes to bus-only lanes identified by pavement markings, red paint, and signage. In the RAISE Project corridor, the dedicated bus lanes could provide potential time savings of up to 1,050 hours of travel time savings for transit riders / day and projected crash reductions of 13 bus crashes per year. Dedicated bus lanes are currently proposed along the following segments (subject to change as the design advances):

• Along Edmondson Avenue from Swann Avenue to North Paca Street
• Along Baltimore Street from North Gay Street to President Street
• Along Fayette Street from North President Street to North Highland Avenue
• Along Eastern Avenue from Bayview Boulevard to Dundalk Avenue

Transit Signal Priority (TSP)

TSP equipment would be installed at traffic signals at over 60 traffic lights along the corridor to prioritize bus movements, allowing traffic signal timing adjustments that give buses priority and provide faster bus travel times (up to 20%), improved reliability, reduced transit delay, and increased on-time performance. MDOT MTA has already outfitted the entire local bus fleet with TSP equipment and has added infrastructure to individual traffic control devices on a corridor-by-corridor basis.

Benefits of TSP:

• Reduces bus delay caused by stopping at traffic signals
• Less fuel and less stopping at intersections can result in decreased emissions
• Can provide more reliable and predictable service/travel times (up to 15% travel time savings)
• Can make bus travel times more competitive with automobile travel times
• Can increase bus ridership and move more people along a corridor

Bus Stop Enhancements and Hubs

ADA compliance upgrades, bus shelters, benches, trash cans, and pedestrian lighting would be provided at over 100 bus stops. At high-transfer activity ‘hubs’, bus stops would incorporate wayfinding signage and real-time information signs that display bus route destinations, frequencies, and estimated arrival times for buses. Buses in MDOT MTA’s system are equipped with GPS systems to report real-time data, which is shared through a mobile app.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

Pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements will focus on improving the safety of users. Curb extensions may be installed at some locations, reducing crossing distance for pedestrians, visually narrowing the roadway to slow vehicular speeds at major conflict points, eliminating the need for buses to pull in and out of the travel lane, and providing more space for bus stop amenities. Streetscape improvements will be included in locations that maximize benefits around new development, neighborhood commercial areas, enhanced bus stops, and locations with high pedestrian crash rates. Streetscaping investments may consist of highly-visible crosswalks, pedestrian-scaled lighting, full traffic signal reconstruction, ADA improvements, and new street trees and other plantings. ADA improvements will integrate ADA-compliant curb ramps, and accessible paths for wheelchairs/mobility devices. Additionally, bicycle infrastructure will be provided between West Baltimore MARC commuter rail station and Downtown Baltimore. Click the link below to view the four (4) proposed alternatives.

Electrical Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations

The RAISE project corridor intersects five Maryland EV Read corridors that extend throughout the state to provide reliable access to EV chargers. To complement the multi-modal transportation improvements added through the RAISE Project and further build upon its sustainability benefits, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) will install at least 25 EV charging stations in publicly-owned parking lots and public right-of-way along the project corridor.  Thirty percent (30%) of these new chargers are required to be installed within “Equity Zones”, and these chargers will help advance the goals of the MDOT Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act Plan by reducing GHG emissions.

As of November 1, 2022:

• Two (2) EV charging stations are under construction:
  1. 400 E Saratoga St
  2. 650 W Lexington St

• Six (2) EV charging stations are being studied for feasibility:
  1. Edmonson Ave: between N. Gilmore St & N. Calhoun St
  2. City Springs Park
  3. Orleans St: between Central Ave and N. Broadway
  4. E. Baltimore St: between Patterson Park Ave and N. Linwood Ave
  5. Helen Mackall Park
  6. Vincent Street Park

The remaining seventeen (17) EV charging stations are in an early evaluation stage.