Baltimorelink Winter 2017 Outreach Report

Home , Eastpoint Mall, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Route 10 (MTA Maryland), Route 22 (MTA Maryland), The Rotunda (Baltimore)

BaltimoreLink Winter 2017 Outreach Report

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Transit Administration

Posted April 3, 2017

BaltimoreLink Winter 2017 Outreach Report

April 2017

By Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning and Jacobs Engineering Group

For the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Transit Administration

Public Hearing Outreach Report

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)

BaltimoreLink

Public Hearing Outreach Report

Contents

Introduction ...... 1 Outreach Components ...... 1 Public Hearing Locations ...... 1 Scheduled Hearings ...... 2 Inclement Weather Plan ...... 5 Feedback Collection Methods ...... 5 Operator In-Reach ...... 5 Elected Official, Stakeholder, and Community Meetings ...... 6 Marketing and Promotion ...... 7 Printed Materials ...... 7 Social Media ...... 7 On board Announcements ...... 7 Newspapers ...... 7 Public Feedback ...... 8 Analysis ...... 8 Counts of Mentions by BaltimoreLink Route Type and Mode ...... 8 Counts of Mentions by Proposed BaltimoreLink Route ...... 8 Counts of Mentions by Current Routes ...... 9 Counts of Comments by Each Collection Method/Event Type ...... 10 How did you hear about BaltimoreLink?...... 11 Title VI Information ...... 11 Responses to Top Public Concerns ...... 12 Concerns about retaining the existing service levels at Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride ...... 12 Concerns about retaining the existing connections between Turner Station, Eastpoint Mall, and Essex ...... 13 Concerns about extending service past the existing Randallstown Loop to Deer Park Plaza in Randallstown ...... 14 Concerns about retaining the existing connections between Pennsylvania Avenue, Upton, Heritage Crossing, and Downtown ...... 15 Concerns about the Upton Station Layover ...... 16 Concerns about late night service at Sinai Hospital ...... 17 Requests for additional service to the Rotunda Development ...... 18

BaltimoreLink

Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about retaining the existing connection between The Alameda, Waverly, and Downtown...... 19 Additional Headway and Alignment Adjustments ...... 20 Comments on Transportation/Transit Infrastructure ...... 21 Appendix A ...... 22 Appendix B ...... 26 Appendix C ...... 29 Appendix D ...... 34

BaltimoreLink

Public Hearing Outreach Report

Figures

Figure 1: BaltimoreLink Public Hearing at North Point Library on January 4, 2017 ...... 1 Figure 2: BaltimoreLink Public Hearing Locations ...... 3 Figure 3: BaltimoreLink Hearing Proposal Rider Guide ...... 7 Figure 4: Count of Comments by Collection Method ...... 10 Figure 5: How did you hear about BaltimoreLink? ...... 11 Figure 6: Title VI Responses for Race ...... 12 Figure 7: Title VI Responses for Household Income ...... 12 Figure 8: Proposed Express BusLink 103 at Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride ...... 12 Figure 9: Updated LocalLink 62 Proposal ...... 13 Figure 10: Updated LocalLink 81 Proposal ...... 14 Figure 11: Updated LocalLink 73 Proposal ...... 15 Figure 12: Updated CityLink Lime Proposal ...... 16 Figure 13: Updated LocalLink 31 and LocalLink 94 Proposals ...... 17 Figure 14: LocalLink 95 Proposal for Future Implementation ...... 18 Figure 15: Sustained LocalLink 53 Proposal ...... 19 Figure 16: Updated CityLink Silver (Select Trips) Proposal ...... 20 Figure 17: Percent of Open-Ended Comments by Topic Mentioned (Infrastructure-Related) ...... 21 Figure 18: Informational Boards Displays at Public Hearings ...... 29 Figure 19: Comment Card -- English Version ...... 34 Figure 20: Comment Card -- Spanish Version ...... 35

Tables

Table 1: Workshop Locations, Dates and Times, and Attendance ...... 2 Table 2: Proposed Makeup Public Hearing Locations in the event of Inclement Weather Cancellations ...... 5 Table 3: Elected Official, Stakeholder, and Community Meeting Details ...... 6 Table 4: Comment Mentions by BaltimoreLink Mode ...... 8 Table 5: Comment Mentions by Proposed BaltimoreLink Route ...... 9 Table 6: Comment Mention by Current MTA Route ...... 10 Table 7: Comment Mentions by Proposed BaltimoreLink Route ...... 22 Table 8: Comment Mention by Current MTA Route ...... 26

BaltimoreLink

Public Hearing Outreach Report

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)

BaltimoreLink | 0 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Introduction

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Transit Administration’s BaltimoreLink transit network redesign recently completed its third phase of outreach, which included the formal public hearing process. This effort built off two phases of public outreach in Winter 2015 and Summer 2016. Public hearings were held from January 4, 2017 through January 19, 2017, and were supported by a formal comment period which extended from December 5, 2016 through February 21, 2017. Promotion of these events took place starting 30 days prior to hearings on December 5, 2016 to ensure that the public hearing process was visible to both the riding public and the greater Baltimore region. The BaltimoreLink public hearings were formal meetings that allowed local community members, riders, and elected officials to state their comments, issues, concerns, and recommendations for the BaltimoreLink plan on the public record. Public hearing locations were targeted across the Baltimore region to provide geographic representation of the service area and to ensure that meetings were accessible. A public hearing location selection methodology was developed to ensure that areas that were experiencing the greatest level of service changes due to the BaltimoreLink plan were reached effectively and included in the public process. Ultimately, 1,132 official comments regarding the plan were collected. Official comments were compiled from the formal public hearing events, through mailed-in letters, via the MTA/BaltimoreLink Hotline (phone), from emails, comments submitted directly on the MTA website, and via the BaltimoreLink website digital comment form. These responses provided critical feedback regarding recommendations and concerns with the most recently released BaltimoreLink plan. This report provides the logistical details of the public hearings, the promotion of the program, the feedback received, and the analysis of that feedback in finalizing the BaltimoreLink plan. Outreach Components Public Hearing Locations Fourteen locations (Table 1) were selected for the public hearings based on regional geography and accessibility. Each location is located within ¼ mile of at least one bus stop, prioritizing areas with higher frequency routes as well as a large quantity of routes. For regions where multiple options were considered, stop access was also considered. Each location is within ¼ mile of minority and/or low income population areas, except for White Marsh, a location that yielded many comments during previous outreach phases. Figure 1: BaltimoreLink Public Hearing at North Point Library on January 4, 2017

BaltimoreLink | 1 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Scheduled Hearings Table 1: Workshop Locations, Dates and Times, and Attendance Testified Total (excluding Elected Location Address Date and Time Attendees elected Officials officials) Baltimore County 1716 Merritt Boulevard Wednesday, January 4 Public Library, North 61 23 4 Dundalk, MD 21222 5:00-8:00 PM Point Branch Baltimore County 320 York Road Thursday, January 5 Public Library, 19 7 0 Towson, MD 21204 5:00-8:00 PM Towson Branch Enoch Pratt Free 3601 Eastern Avenue Thursday, January 5 Library, Southeast 23 4 1 Baltimore, MD 21224 5:00-7:00 PM Anchor Branch 201 W. Preston Street Monday, January 9 State Center Complex 51 13 1 Baltimore, MD 21201 11:00 AM-3:30 PM

Baltimore County 8133 Sandpiper Circle Monday, January 9 Public Library, White 15 3 0 Baltimore, MD 21236 5:00-8:00 PM Marsh Branch Medstar Harbor 3001 S. Hanover Street Tuesday, January 10 9 1 0 Hospital Baltimore, MD 21225 3:00-9:00 PM

Humanim-American 1701 N. Gay Street Tuesday, January 10 16 0 0 Brewery Baltimore, MD 21213 6:00-8:00 PM

Enoch Pratt Free 1531 W. North Avenue Wednesday, January 11 Library, Pennsylvania 32 8 0 Baltimore, MD 21217 6:00-8:00 PM Avenue Branch Baltimore County 8604 Liberty Road Wednesday, January 11 Public Library, 23 8 0 Randallstown, MD 21133 6:00-8:00 PM Randallstown Branch Brooklyn Park 1 E. 11th Avenue Thursday, January 12 8 3 0 Community Library Baltimore, MD 21225 6:00-8:00 PM

Central Church of 4301 Woodridge Road Thursday, January 12 Christ 11 6 0 Baltimore, MD 21229 6:00-8:00 PM

Baltimore County 1100 Frederick Road Tuesday, January 17 Public Library, 19 5 0 Catonsville, MD 21228 6:00-8:00 PM Catonsville Branch Enoch Pratt Free 400 E. 33rd Street Wednesday, January 18 Library, Waverly 112 45 1 Baltimore, MD 21213 5:00-7:00 PM Branch 5701 Park Heights Ave. Thursday, January 19 Pimlico Race Course 34 12 3 Baltimore, MD 21215 6:00-8:00 PM Totals 433 138 10

BaltimoreLink | 2 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Figure 2: BaltimoreLink Public Hearing Locations Each of the fourteen locations were considered based on a detailed rationale, which were as follows 1. Baltimore County Public Library, North Point Branch: While this location is only accessible by one bus line, it is a location for riders in southeastern Baltimore County spread out along many small neck peninsulas.

2. Baltimore County Public Library, Towson Branch: This location serves a large portion of the service area, including north and northeast Baltimore City as well as north, northeast, and east Baltimore County. As the county seat of Baltimore County, it is a large employment and cultural center.

3. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Southeast Anchor Branch: This location not only serves the southeast Baltimore City area but it is also located in a corridor that participated during both rounds of outreach (first round: Patterson Park; second round: Canton)

4. State Center Complex: This is a centralized location just north of downtown Baltimore City that can be accessed by several bus lines as well as Metro and Light Rail. It is a major employment center.

5. Baltimore County Public Library, White Marsh Branch: This location was a busy public workshop location with residents in previous phases of outreach. White Marsh is a regional

BaltimoreLink | 3 Public Hearing Outreach Report

retail and commercial center for northeast and east Baltimore County residents with several bus lines running through the area.

6. Medstar Harbor Hospital: A popular community meeting spot, this location serves south Baltimore City. It is located on the site of a major employer and is near others, such as Horseshoe Casino and Port Covington. It is easily accessible by multiple MTA bus lines in south Baltimore City, as well as Anne Arundel County.

7. Humanim – American Brewery: This location is centrally located in east Baltimore City and can be accessed by residents of northeast, east, and southeast Baltimore City. It is also near a major transfer point of three high ridership lines.

8. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Pennsylvania Avenue Branch: This location is in the heart of the historic Penn-North commercial corridor and is easily accessed by several bus lines and the Metro.

9. Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown Branch: This location is near a proposed service extension (MTA Route 81). It can be reached easily by residents of northwest Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

10. Brooklyn Park Community Library: This location is in Anne Arundel County, one of the three jurisdictions served by MTA’s local bus network. It is served by a route connecting Baltimore and Anne Arundel County.

11. Central Church of Christ: This location serves residents of neighborhoods in west Baltimore City. It is also located along a future CityLink corridor and routes that are proposed to feed the future West Baltimore MARC transfer hub.

12. Baltimore County Public Library, Catonsville Branch: This location was used as a public workshop location in the first round of outreach. This library is centrally located in west and southwest Baltimore County.

13. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Waverly Branch: This location was another well attended public workshop location with residents providing feedback of the plan in previous rounds of outreach. This location is within a close walk of a major transfer point at 33rd Street and Greenmount Avenue, which is centrally located to the greater Waverly area.

14. Pimlico Race Course: This facility is centralized in the greater Park Heights area and easy to access.

BaltimoreLink | 4 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Inclement Weather Plan Since public hearings were scheduled for January, when winter weather conditions may force the cancellation of a hearing, an inclement weather plan was developed. This plan was to ensure that anyone planning to attend and participate in a meeting cancelled due to inclement weather could still participate in the public hearing process.

Two public hearing locations were reserved, as shown in Table 2. In the event a hearing was cancelled, a decision to reschedule would have been made and promoted directly through the support of MTA’s Office Customer and Community Relations and Office of Communications and Marketing to the neighborhood(s) where the event would have taken place. January 2016 was an unseasonably warm weather month in the Baltimore region, and the inclement weather plan was never implemented.

Table 2: Proposed Makeup Public Hearing Locations in the event of Inclement Weather Cancellations Location Address Current MTA Routes Name 1 State Center 201 W Preston Street 19, 21, 27, 91, 119, MTA Metro, MTA Complex Baltimore, MD 21201 Light Rail 2 War Memorial, 101 North Gay Street 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 19, 20, 23, 26, 31, 35, 36, Memorial Hall Baltimore, MD 21202 40, 46, 47, 48, 91, 310, 320, 411, 420 and Metro Subway

Feedback Collection Methods Various methods were used to collect feedback from the public during the BaltimoreLink public hearing process. The outreach approach sought to maximize input by providing multiple opportunities for feedback. It is critical to note that all submitted feedback was analyzed as part of the planning process. The public was encouraged to submit written testimony at public hearings, and if participants did not have the time to submit at the meetings they could mail the form, deliver the form in-person at the MTA administrative offices, email their feedback, submit online through a form on the BaltimoreLink website, or through a telephone hotline. All paper comment forms and digital feedback were entered into a master comment database. The comment period extended 30 days past the final public hearing to February 21, 2017. Operator In-Reach Operator in-reach is an essential component of the BaltimoreLink system redesign and rebranding. The purpose of in-reach is to inform, engage, and gather input from MTA’s bus operators to ensure that the system redesign and implementation planning reflect their experience and consider their concerns. Operator in-reach creates a two-way channel of communication between planning staff and operators regarding the implementation of the BaltimoreLink plan, fosters buy-in among operators for BaltimoreLink project launch, and ensures that bus operators have the information they need to respond to questions from the public. Beginning in early 2016, Operator in-reach events have taken place approximately once a month at each of the four bus divisions (Bush, Northwest, Eastern, and Kirk) with each month’s event having

BaltimoreLink | 5 Public Hearing Outreach Report

a predetermined topic that is the focus of discussion (e.g. the BaltimoreLink network design, new route training, the impact of the new system on riders). The in-reach program during January 2017 was dedicated to the public hearings and comment period. In mid-January, in-reach events were held at all MTA divisions to inform operators about what was captured during the previous phase of summer 2016 public outreach and the revisions that were made to the BaltimoreLink plan in response to operator feedback, as well as how recommendations on the BaltimoreLink public education program would be influenced with operator input. Operators also provided feedback about the routes and alignments included in the public hearing information. Elected Official, Stakeholder, and Community Meetings Table 3 details the various federal, state, and local elected officials and community stakeholders who met with MTA staff to discuss BaltimoreLink through scheduled elected official briefings and attendance at public workshops. After holding over 100 community meetings and one-on-one briefings with elected officials as part of the summer public outreach, these updates were focused on stakeholders that expressed an interest in updates on the final plan. The MTA Administrator & CEO briefed the Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, and Baltimore City delegates to update them on BaltimoreLink public outreach and progress to date. In addition, MTA staff met with several key stakeholder and advocacy groups as shown in Table 3. After the close of the official summer public outreach comment period, MTA staff continued to meet with community groups, elected officials, and other interested parties to provide information on the BaltimoreLink plan. Table 3: Elected Official, Stakeholder, and Community Meeting Details Meeting Date and Time Transit Choices December 8, 2016 Baltimore City Public Schools Choice Fair December 10, 2016 Representative of Congressman Ruppersberger December 13, 2016 Baltimore City DOT and Planning December 16, 2016 Mayor Pugh Transition Team – Transit/Transportation Subcommittee Briefing January 5, 2017 Morgan State University January 5, 2017 Chase House Tenant Council January 18, 2017 Charles Village Civic Association January 25, 2017 Montgomery Park January 31, 2017 Stadium Place February 2, 2017 Upton Community Association February 9, 2017 Anne Arundel County Delegation February 17, 2017 Frankford Improvement Association February 21, 2017 Turner Station Improvement Association February 21, 2017

BaltimoreLink | 6 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Marketing and Promotion The BaltimoreLink public hearings received promotions throughout the MTA service area through on board notifications and through the established MTA Marketing and Communications toolkit of print and digital advertisements. Printed Materials MTA produced “Linking You” Brochures for local bus, metro-subway, light rail, mobility, commuter bus and MARC trains. This brochure was developed to promote the goals and purpose of the BaltimoreLink Program, and promote the public process and the BaltimoreLink website. The Public Hearings were promoted through the following materials:  A two-volume proposal document was printed for use at public hearings, available online, and placed at 6 St. Paul for review by members of the public;  Car cards detailing the public hearing schedule for buses with Title VI information in all required Limited English Proficient (LEP) compliant languages;  BaltimoreLink Meeting Notices for MTA local buses in English and Spanish;  Route Booklets were produced for Public Hearings and available online with detailed maps of each recommended route with schedule Figure 3: BaltimoreLink Hearing details and transfer information; Proposal Rider Guide  Route comparison maps were developed as a support resource for Public Hearings and available online to explain to riders the changes that would be taking place from the current MTA local bus route to the new BaltimoreLink route; and  Rider Guides on all MTA local buses in English and Spanish with details of the proposed BaltimoreLink Network;

Social Media MTA uses Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram messages to distribute information and interact with a wider audience daily. Regular updates were made promoting each of the public hearings including standard posts with images and video content at each Public Hearing location. Email notifications were sent to a listserv of those that requested inclusion in the BaltimoreLink program. On board Announcements On-board fixed route buses broadcasted audio and scrolling announcements on board buses to promote the public hearing and comment period. An announcement giving notice of the public hearings ran from December 5, 2017 through the last hearing, and notice of the open comment period continued through February 21, 2017. Newspapers A press release was distributed to all major regional and local publications, as well as interest publications. A 30-day notice of public hearing was published in the Baltimore Sun, Jeffersonian, Towson

BaltimoreLink | 7 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Times, Dundalk Eagle, East County Times, Sun Weekend, El Tiempo Latino, City Paper, AFRO America, Baltimore Times, Jewish Times, Catonsville Times, and Arbutus Times. Newspapers were used throughout the public participation process to share and provide information to the public. Public Feedback Analysis The MTA received input through various methods, with 1,132 survey responses or comments collected regarding the BaltimoreLink Plan during the public hearing process. In addition to the spoken testimonies received at the 14 public hearings, feedback was provided through comment cards provided at each hearing, a form on the BaltimoreLink website, mail, e-mail, and via the MTA/BaltimoreLink hotline (phone). All comments were compiled,analyzed, and reviewed to evaluate any additional changes that needed to be made to the final BaltimoreLink plan. Counts of Mentions by BaltimoreLink Route Type and Mode Most comments mentioned proposed CityLink (48 percent) or LocalLink (45 percent) routes. A total of 148 comments (seven percent) mentioned Express BusLink, Light RailLink, or Metro SubwayLink. Ten percent of the comment submissions contained general comments regarding BaltimoreLink. Table 4 shows the count of comments that mention each BaltimoreLink mode. Table 4: Comment Mentions by BaltimoreLink Mode1 Count of Mentions for this Share of all Service Type Service Type Mentions CityLink 965 47.5% LocalLink 918 45.2% Express BusLink 116 5.7% Light RailLink 18 0.9% Metro 14 0.7% SubwayLink

Counts of Mentions by Proposed BaltimoreLink Route LocalLink 62 and CityLink Navy received the largest share of comments, with 428 (18 percent) and 413 (18 percent) comments, respectively. General comments (10 percent), CityLink Green (9 percent), LocalLink 53 (9 percent), CityLink Red (6 percent), and CityLink Silver (6 percent) received large shares of comments. The rest of the routes were mentioned in less five percent of all comments. Table 5 shows the total number of mentions for each proposed route that received a mention in more than one hundred comments. The complete totals of mentions for each proposed BaltimoreLink route is shown in Appendix A.

1 The sum of ‘Count of Mentions’ will not equal the number of unique comments submitted (1,132). Many comments mentioned more than one service type, and therefore are counted toward every service type mentioned.

BaltimoreLink | 8 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Table 5: Comment Mentions by Proposed BaltimoreLink Route2 Count of Percent of BaltimoreLink Comments Comments From To Service Type Route Mentioning Mentioning this Route this Route 62 Eastpoint Mall Dundalk 428 18% LocalLink Dundalk / Mondawmin Navy 413 18% CityLink Watersedge Metro West Baltimore Green Towson 206 9% CityLink MARC Hillendale / 53 North Avenue LR 201 9% LocalLink Sheppard Pratt Towson / Red Downtown 133 6% CityLink Lutherville LR Hopkins Univ./ Silver Curtis Bay 132 6% CityLink Morgan St. Univ.

Counts of Mentions by Current Routes Many comments mentioned existing MTA local and express bus routes. The No. 4 received 424 mentions, the most of any route. The No. 10 received the second most mentions with 404 unique comments. This correlates to the most frequent mentions of the proposed BaltimoreLink routes; for example, LocalLink 62 and CityLink Navy, which received the most mentions of the BaltimoreLink routes, would replace the No. 4 and No. 10 routes, respectively, in Turner Station. The CityLink Green and LocalLink 53 received the third and fourth most mentions of the BaltimoreLink routes and would replace much of the No. 3, which serves the Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride and Waverly. Other current routes that had at least 30 mentions include the 36, 3, 8 and 11. The proposed BaltimoreLink replacements for these routes were among the most mentioned in the comments received at the public hearings, as well as during the previous two outreach phases. Table 6 shows the total number of mentions for each current route that was mentioned in at least thirty comments. The full complete totals of mentions for each current route is shown in Appendix B provides a breakdown of how many mentions of each current route were made.

2 The sum of ‘Count of Comments Mentioning this Route’ will not equal the number of unique comments submitted (1,132). Many comments mentioned more than one route, and therefore are counted towards every route mentioned.

BaltimoreLink | 9 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Table 6: Comment Mention by Current MTA Route3 Count of Percent of Current Comments Comments Service Route From To Mentionin Mentionin Type Number g this g this Route Route Local 4 Turner Station CCBC-Essex 424 28% Route Rolling Road / Dundalk / Local 10 404 27% Paradise Bullneck Road Route Northern Parkway Riverview / Local 36 139 9% & York Road Monroe Street Route Local 3 Sheppard Pratt Inner Harbor 91 6% Route Lutherville Light University of Local 8 56 4% Rail Maryland TC Route Towson Town Downtown Local 11 33 2% Center Baltimore Route

Counts of Comments by Each Collection Method/Event Type The most popular way to submit comments was via mail, accounting for 63 percent of comments. 16 percent were from the BaltimoreLink website, 13 percent of comments were submitted as a hearing testimony, 3 percent were submitted as paper comment form at the hearing, 5 percent were via email, and 1 percent were from the hotline. Figure 4 shows the response count by event type, totaling 1,132 comments. Figure 4: Count of Comments by Collection Method

Mail

BaltimoreLink Website

Hearing Testimony

E‐mail

Hotline (phone)

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Collection Method or Event Type Count of Responses

3 The sum of ‘Count of Comments Mentioning this Current Route’ will not equal the number of unique comments submitted (1,132). Many comments mentioned more than one route, and therefore are counted towards every route mentioned.

BaltimoreLink | 10 Public Hearing Outreach Report

How did you hear about BaltimoreLink? To measure effectiveness of outreach advertising, respondents were asked on the BaltimoreLink website comment form and paper comment form how they heard about BaltimoreLink. The distribution of responses is shown in Figure 5, with 381 responses. Over half of respondents indicated “other.” The remaining respondents heard about BaltimoreLink via the MTA website (15 percent), social media (12 percent), an advertisement on an MTA vehicle (10 percent), station announcement (7 percent), and newspaper (3 percent). Figure 5: How did you hear about BaltimoreLink?

Newspaper

Station Announcement

Ad on vehicle

Social Media

Advertising Method MTA Website

Other

0 50 100 150 200 250 Count of Responses

Title VI Information To ensure the BaltimoreLink outreach program was inclusive and equitable, the website comment form and paper comment form each included demographic questions to help MTA gauge its reach to Title VI populations. Answering these questions was optional. A total of 338 respondents provided their race and 320 respondents offered their annual household income. Of those who provided their race, 59 percent identified as Black or African American, 30 percent identified as Caucasian or White, and the remaining 12 percent selected one of the other choices (Figure 6).

BaltimoreLink | 11 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Figure 6: Title VI Responses for Race

African American/Black

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Caucasian/White Race

Hispanic/Latino

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Other

0 50 100 150 200 250

Count of Responses

Of those who provided their annual household income, 43 percent reported a household income of less than $20,000,4 15 percent reported an income between $50,000 and $74,999, and 16 percent reported an income above $75,000 (Figure 7). Figure 7: Title VI Responses for Household Income

$150,000 or more $100,000 to $149,999 $75,000 to $99,999 $50,000 to $74,999 $35,000 to $49,999

Income $25,000 to $34,999 $20,000 to $24,999 $10,000 to $19,999 Less than $10,000

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Count of Responses

4 MTA’s Title VI Program defines low-income status based on families making $20,000 or less annually.

BaltimoreLink | 12 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Responses to Top Public Concerns

From the 1,132 comments received, key topics were identified and are summarized in the following sections. Concerns about retaining the existing service levels at Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride The public expressed concerns over the proposed reduction in service at Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride, which is also the closest stop to Brightwood College. The park and ride is currently served throughout the day on both weekdays and weekends by Route No. 3. Additional service is provided at rush hours on Route No. 103 to the Inner Harbor and on Route No. 104 to Johns Hopkins Hospital with service on these routes provided inbound only in the morning rush hour and outbound only in the afternoon rush hour. Under the BaltimoreLink proposal, only Express BusLink 103 would serve Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride. Students and faculty at Brightwood College expressed concern about the elimination of midday and evening service to the park and ride, especially since the nearest bus stop is some distance away and there are missing sidewalk links in the area. In response to these concerns, the updated proposal includes reverse peak service (outbound during morning rush hour, inbound during evening rush hour) on Express BusLink 103 (Figure 8). Figure 8: Proposed Express BusLink 103 at Cromwell Bridge Park & Ride

BaltimoreLink | 12 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about retaining the existing connections between Turner Station, Eastpoint Mall, and Essex The current No. 4 operates from Turner Station to CCBC-Essex via CCBC-Dundalk, Eastpoint Mall, Middle River, and Franklin Square Hospital. Under the proposed plan, No. 4 would be replaced by LocalLink 62, which would serve northern end of Dundalk Avenue and terminate at the MTA Eastern Division instead of serving the southern end of Dundalk Avenue and Turner Station. This was proposed to allow passengers to connect to various other CityLink and LocalLink routes at Johns Hopkins Bayview, increasing connectivity to and from Dundalk. However, over 400 comments were received in response to this proposal, many of which were submitted by residents of the Turner Station neighborhood who raised concerns about needing to transfer to travel between Turner Station and the jobs, education, and shopping opportunities at CCBC-Dundalk, Eastpoint Mall, and CCBC-Essex. In response to these concerns, LocalLink 62 will serve Turner Station and exactly replicate No. 4 service in Dundalk and at Turner Station (Figure 9). Because of this revision, all the current one- seat rides to and from Turner Station in today’s network remain as such when BaltimoreLink launches. Figure 9: Updated LocalLink 62 Proposal

BaltimoreLink | 13 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about extending service past the existing Randallstown Loop to Deer Park Plaza in Randallstown The current No. 54 terminates at Randallstown Loop, an off-street loop on Liberty Road at Chapman Road. However, there have been many requests to extend bus service further in to Randallstown, and MTA modeling indicates that such an extension would likely be well-utilized. The proposed plan includes extending LocalLink 81, which is one of the routes that will replace the current No. 54, from Randallstown Loop to Deer Park Plaza. Throughout each of the previous BaltimoreLink periods, the public has expressed concerns about the potential layover location, that the bus might use residential streets to turn around for the return trip, and that there is not enough demand to justify early morning and late night service. In response to these concerns, an alignment using Marriottsville Road, Winands Road, and Deer Park Road with a layover on Deer Park Road was proposed for LocalLink 81 (Figure 10). This alignment, which allows for service to be extended to this area while also addressing the concerns of those concerned that their streets are not suitable for buses, will be used when LocalLink 81 launches. In addition, early morning and late night service will terminate at Randallstown Loop, addressing the concerns about buses traversing the neighborhood in the early morning and late night hours. Figure 10: Updated LocalLink 81 Proposal

BaltimoreLink | 14 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about retaining the existing connections between Pennsylvania Avenue, Upton, Heritage Crossing, and Downtown The most recent BaltimoreLink proposal does not include service on Pennsylvania Avenue between Dolphin Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard or at any point along McCullough Street and Druid Hill Avenue. Currently, Route No. 7 operates on this segment of Pennsylvania Avenue, and route No. 5 operates on McCullough Street and Druid Hill Avenue. Both routes start at Mondawmin and pass through Downtown before continuing to Canton and Cedonia, respectively. Residents along the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor expressed concern over the proposed elimination of their one seat ride to Downtown and especially to the VA and University of Maryland hospitals. This concern was especially acute in Heritage Crossing, a neighborhood with few pedestrian connections to the surrounding area where residents would have had to walk as far as ½ mile to reach the nearest transit services. About ten comments were formally submitted with regards to this issue during the public comment period, but it was also raised at community meetings and other events. To address the concerns, LocalLink 73 will be extended from its proposed terminal at Baltimore Arena and will be extended to State Center, using an alignment that will connect Pennsylvania Avenue and Heritage Crossing to Downtown and the VA Hospital. The service planning team reviewed current ridership figures in the area and determined that the proposed levels of service on nearby Pennsylvania Avenue and Eutaw Place are sufficient. Figure 11 shows the revised routing for this corridor. Figure 11: Updated LocalLink 73 Proposal

BaltimoreLink | 15 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about the Upton Station Layover In the most recent BaltimoreLink proposal, select CityLink Lime trips would terminate at Upton Station and return to Randallstown instead of continuing to Harbor East. However, operators expressed concern about the safety for this proposed layover site and its lack of operator amenities, especially in the early morning and late night hours. In response to these concerns, the CityLink Lime short trips will turn around at Fulton Loop instead of Upton Station (Figure 12). Figure 12: Updated CityLink Lime Proposal

BaltimoreLink | 16 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about late night service at Sinai Hospital In response to the most recent BaltimoreLink proposal, MTA operators expressed concern over the lack of late night service during Sinai Hospital’s overnight shift change. This request was provided through comments made at MTA Operator inreach sessions. MTA Operators said there are employees at Sinai Hospital who commute for their morning shift at Sinai around 3:45am that should be served. In response to these concerns, additional late night trips will be added to LocalLink 31 and LocalLink 94 to meet the needs of these employees. Riders leaving Sinai Hospital could then connect to downtown via the LocalLink 94 and to the LocalLink 80 at Rogers Avenue Station. Figure 13: Updated LocalLink 31 and LocalLink 94 Proposals

BaltimoreLink | 17 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Requests for additional service to the Rotunda Development Ten comments were received requesting that LocalLink 95 be modified to serve The Rotunda and other nearby commercial establishments. The most recent BaltimoreLink proposal calls for LocalLink 95 to replace Route No. 61 in its entirety. Route No. 61 does not include service directly to the Rotunda but stops several blocks away. The Rotunda is currently served directly by Route No. 22 and will continue to be served by LocalLink 22 when BaltimoreLink is implemented (Figure 14). To reroute LocalLink 95 to serve The Rotunda, several stops and service on this segment of University Parkway would be eliminated, requiring a public hearing prior to making such a change. However, these routes will be evaluated for potential route realignments following the BaltimoreLink rollout. Figure 14: LocalLink 95 Proposal for Future Implementation

BaltimoreLink | 18 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Concerns about retaining the existing connection between The Alameda, Waverly, and Downtown Over 20 comments expressing concern over the forced transfer for LocalLink 53 passengers who wish to travel downtown were received during the public comment period. The planning team evaluated options to extend LocalLink 53 all the way to Downtown and considered the number of passengers forced to transfer and number of buses terminating in Downtown Baltimore, but concluded that North Avenue Station is the most suitable location for this route to terminate (Figure 15). However, CityLink Silver has been modified to operate in both directions on Loch Raven Boulevard between 33rd Street and Coldspring Lane, creating additional transfer opportunities for passengers traveling between The Alameda and Downtown (Figure 15). In addition, to respond to concerns over the lack of a bus route providing a one seat ride from 33rd Street in Waverly to Penn Station and downtown, the most recent proposal extends select CityLink Silver trips from Homewood to Morgan State University via 33rd Street (Figure 16). However, residents of Stadium Place have expressed concern that the proposed CityLink Silver service on 33rd Street will not be frequent enough and that other nearby CityLink services are not within walking distance; about 120 comments were received with regard to this issue. After review of all comments, the service planning team was able to increase the level of service on CityLink Silver at 33rd Street and Morgan State University to operate every 24 minutes. Figure 15: Sustained LocalLink 53 Proposal

BaltimoreLink | 19 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Figure 16: Updated CityLink Silver (Select Trips) Proposal

Additional Headway and Alignment Adjustments In addition to the issues outlined above, minor adjustments were made to two additional routes during the process of developing schedules and timetables for each route:

 Midday service on CityLink Gold will operate every 12 minutes instead of every 15 minutes.  CityLink Yellow will operate every 12 minutes between Mondawmin and Halethorpe and every 24 minutes between Halethorpe, UMBC, and Riverview, instead of every 15 minutes and every 30 minutes respectively.  Westbound CityLink Blue trips will use Gay Street instead of Calvert Street between Fayette Street and Saratoga Street in Downtown to avoid a difficult turn.  The loop that CityLink Yellow will use to turn around at Riverview was reversed to ensure MTA vehicles will be able to make the loop prior to laying over after the run is completed. Service updates were made to provide enough capacity to meet expected demand. to facilitate safe and efficient operations and based on feedback from operators.

BaltimoreLink | 20 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Comments on Transportation/Transit Infrastructure Figure 17 shows key topics that were discussed in the open-ended comments as they relate to transit infrastructure. The most commonly discussed topic was bus stop placement, spacing, and signage, which was mentioned in 168 comments. ADA accessibility was the second most commented on topic, mentioned in 142 comments. Twenty four comments addressed sidewalks and pedestrian infrastructure. The remaining topics each received 11 comments or fewer. Figure 17: Percent of Open-Ended Comments by Topic Mentioned (Infrastructure-Related)5

Bus Stop/Spacing/Signage ADA Accessibility Sidewalks/Pedestrian Infrastructure Shelters Road Capacity/Suitability Bike Infrastructure TSP Transitways/Bus Only Lanes

Comment Category Parking/Park'n'Rides Layovers Transit Hubs/Transfer Facilities (infrastructure) Transit Hubs/Transfer Facilities (location)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Percent of Comments

5 The sum of ‘Percent of Open-Ended Comments by Topic Mentioned’ will not equal the number of unique comments submitted (1,132). Many comments addressed multiple topics and were assigned more than one comment category, and therefore are counted towards every category mentioned.

BaltimoreLink | 21 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Appendix A

Table 7: Comment Mentions by Proposed BaltimoreLink Route6 Count of Percent of BaltimoreLink Comments Comments From To Service Type Route Mentioning Mentioning this Route this Route 62 Eastpoint Mall Dundalk 428 18% LocalLink Dundalk / Mondawmin Navy 413 18% CityLink Watersedge Metro General General N/A N/A 239 10% Comment Comment West Baltimore Green Towson 206 9% CityLink MARC Hillendale / North Avenue 53 201 9% LocalLink Sheppard Pratt LR Towson / Red Downtown 133 6% CityLink Lutherville LR Hopkins Silver Curtis Bay 132 6% CityLink University Express 103 Cromwell Bridge Downtown 98 4% BusLink Request for Request for N/A N/A 52 2% Information Information 51 Towson Downtown 36 2% LocalLink 94 Sinai Hospital Fort McHenry 29 1% LocalLink 21 Woodberry Canton Crossing21 1% LocalLink Mondawmin Hopkins 22 20 1% LocalLink Metro Bayview BWI Light RailLink Hunt Valley Airport/Cromwe 18 1% Light RailLink ll Social Security / 31 Sinai Hospital 16 1% LocalLink Security Square Riverview / Mondawmin Yellow 16 1% CityLink UMBC Metro 34 Westview Falls Road LR 14 1% LocalLink Metro Johns Hopkins Metro Owings Mills 14 1% SubwayLink Hospital SubwayLink 30 Rogers Ave. Rosedale 13 1% LocalLink

6 The sum of ‘Count of Comments Mentioning this Route’ will not equal the number of unique comments submitted (1,132). Many comments mentioned more than one route, and therefore are counted towards every route mentioned.

BaltimoreLink | 22 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Count of Percent of BaltimoreLink Comments Comments From To Service Type Route Mentioning Mentioning this Route this Route Metro 95 Roland Park Downtown 13 1% LocalLink West Baltimore Orange Essex 13 1% CityLink MARC 65 Downtown Dundalk 12 1% LocalLink Hopkins Blue CMS/Westgate 11 0% CityLink Bayview MARC 11 0% CityLink Paradise / Hopkins Purple 10 0% CityLink Catonsville Hospital Deer Park Milford Mill 81 9 0% LocalLink (Randallstown) Metro West Baltimore Pink Cedonia 9 0% CityLink MARC Overlea / White Brown Downtown 8 0% CityLink Marsh Northwest Lime Harbor East 8 0% CityLink Hospital 36 Towson Essex 7 0% LocalLink Express 102 White Marsh Towson 7 0% BusLink Rogers Ave. 28 Moravia 6 0% LocalLink Metro Mt. Washington 33 Overlea 6 0% LocalLink LR Walbrook Berea / Canton Gold 6 0% CityLink Junction Crossing 73 Patpasco LR Downtown 5 0% LocalLink West Baltimore 77 Catonsville 5 0% LocalLink MARC 37 UMBC Old Court Metro 4 0% LocalLink Mondawmin 79 CMS 4 0% LocalLink Metro 93 Hunt Valley Towson 4 0% LocalLink Brooklyn Park & Mondawmin 26 3 0% LocalLink Ride Metro Mondawmin 29 Brooklyn 3 0% LocalLink Metro 56 White Marsh Downtown 3 0% LocalLink Whispering 59 Moravia 3 0% LocalLink Woods

BaltimoreLink | 23 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Count of Percent of BaltimoreLink Comments Comments From To Service Type Route Mentioning Mentioning this Route this Route 67 Marley Neck Downtown 3 0% LocalLink 69 Jumpers Hole Patapsco LR 3 0% LocalLink 70 Annapolis Patapsco LR 3 0% LocalLink 71 Patapsco LR Downtown 3 0% LocalLink Arundel Mills / Patapsco LR / 75 3 0% LocalLink Parkway Center Downtown Rogers Ave. 80 Downtown 3 0% LocalLink Metro Reisterstown 82 Park Circle 3 0% LocalLink Plaza Metro Milford Mill Penn-North 85 3 0% LocalLink Metro Metro Owings Mills 87 Glyndon 3 0% LocalLink Metro Greenspring Mondawmin 91 3 0% LocalLink Station Metro Express 164 Riviera Beach Downtown 3 0% BusLink Removed in Plan III 25 3 0% LocalLink

Removed in Plan III 32 3 0% LocalLink

Greenmount 52 Stella Maris 2 0% LocalLink North Hillendale / State Center 54 2 0% LocalLink Carney Metro 57 White Marsh Belair-Edison 2 0% LocalLink 76 CCBC Catonsville Downtown 2 0% LocalLink West Baltimore 78 CMS 2 0% LocalLink MARC Express 107 Old Court Metro BWI Airport 2 0% BusLink Downtown / Express 150 Columbia 2 0% Harbor East BusLink Removed in Plan III 35 2 0% LocalLink

Removed in Plan III 39 2 0% LocalLink

Mondawmin 83 Old Court Metro 1 0% LocalLink Metro 89 Owings Mills Rogers Ave. 1 0% LocalLink

BaltimoreLink | 24 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Count of Percent of BaltimoreLink Comments Comments From To Service Type Route Mentioning Mentioning this Route this Route Metro / Redland Metro Court 92 Luckman Park Copper Ridge 1 0% LocalLink Owings Mills Express 106 Towson 1 0% Metro BusLink Express 115 Perry Hall Downtown 1 0% BusLink Downtown / Express 120 White Marsh Hopkins 1 0% BusLink Hospital Essex / Downtown / Express 160 Whispering Hopkins 1 0% BusLink Woods Hospital

BaltimoreLink | 25 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Appendix B

Table 8: Comment Mention by Current MTA Route7 Count of Percent of Current Comments Comments Service Route From To Mentionin Mentionin Type Number g this g this Route Route Local 4 Turner Station CCBC-Essex 424 28% Route Rolling Road / Dundalk / Local 10 404 27% Paradise Bullneck Road Route Northern Parkway Riverview / Local 36 139 9% & York Road Monroe Street Route Local 3 Sheppard Pratt Inner Harbor 91 6% Route Lutherville Light University of Local 8 56 4% Rail Maryland TC Route Towson Town Downtown Local 11 33 2% Center Baltimore Route Express 103 Cromwell Bridge Inner Harbor 27 2% Route Local 22 Mondawmin Metro Hopkins Bayview 22 1% Route Reisterstown Plaza Local 27 Port Covington 20 1% Metro Route Security Square Rosedale Local 44 18 1% Mall Industrial Park Route Security Blvd. at Local 40 Middle River 17 1% CMS Route Stevenson Reisterstown Plaza Local 60 17 1% University Station Route Security Square Overlea / Perry Local 15 16 1% Mall Hall Route Local 91 Sinai Hospital City Hall 15 1% Route Woodberry Light Woodberry Light Local 98 14 1% Rail Rail Route Johns Hopkins Express 104 Cromwell Bridge 13 1% Hospital Route 48 Towson Town University of 13 1% Local

7 The sum of ‘Count of Comments Mentioning this Current Route’ will not equal the number of unique comments submitted (1,132). Many comments mentioned more than one route, and therefore are counted towards every route mentioned.

BaltimoreLink | 26 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Count of Percent of Current Comments Comments Service Route From To Mentionin Mentionin Type Number g this g this Route Route Center Maryland TC Route Route 40 / Rolling Local 23 Fox Ridge 11 1% Road Route Local 31 State Center CCBC-Dundalk 11 1% Route Local 7 Mondawmin Metro Canton 11 1% Route Security Square Rogers Avenue Local 57 10 1% Mall Metro Route Local 5 Mondawmin Metro Cedonia 9 1% Route Patapsco Light Local 77 Old Court Metro 9 1% Rail Route Canton / Fells Local 13 Walbrook Junction 8 1% Point Route Rogers Avenue Local 33 Moravia 8 1% Metro Route Lutherville Light Local 9 International Circle 8 1% Rail Route Local 46 Cedonia Paradise 7 0% Route Penn-North Local 54 Randallstown 7 0% Metro Route Reisterstown Plaza Local 58 White Marsh Mall 7 0% Metro Route Security Square CCBC-Dundalk / Local 20 6 0% Mall Marine Term. Route Towson Court Local 55 Fox Ridge 6 0% House Route Mondawmin Local 21 Fells Point 5 0% Metro Route Local 24 Whispering Woods Moravia 5 0% Route Curtis Bay / Local 64 North Avenue 5 0% Energy Parkway Route Mondawmin Mondawmin Local 97 5 0% Metro Metro Route Downtown Dundalk Marine Local 26 4 0% Baltimore Terminal Route UMBC / Blind Local 35 White Marsh Mall 4 0% Industries Route

BaltimoreLink | 27 Public Hearing Outreach Report

Count of Percent of Current Comments Comments Service Route From To Mentionin Mentionin Type Number g this g this Route Route Local 61 Lake Avenue Inner Harbor 4 0% Route Local 14 Patapsco Light Rail Annapolis 3 0% Route BWI / Arundel Local 17 Patapsco Light Rail Mills / Parkway 3 0% Route Center Carney / Goucher Local 19 State Center 3 0% and Taylor Route Rogers Avenue Patapsco Light Local 51 3 0% Metro Rail Route Owings Mills Local 56 Glyndon 3 0% Town Center Route Local 12 Kirk & Bartlett Stella Maris 2 0% Route Mondawmin Local 16 Brooklyn Homes 2 0% Metro Route Local 47 Walbrook Junction Overlea 2 0% Route Local 50 Erdman & Belair Erdman & Belair 2 0% Route Mondawmin Local 52 Milford Mill 2 0% Metro Route Mondawmin Local 53 Old Court Metro 2 0% Metro Route Local 1 Sinai Hospital Fort McHenry 1 0% Route Downtown Express 115 Perry Hall 1 0% Baltimore Route Whispering Woods Downtown Express 160 1 0% / Fox Ridge Baltimore Route Curtis Bay / Express 164 North Avenue 1 0% Energy Parkway Route Velvet Valley / Glen & Key Local 18 Copper Ridge / 1 0% Avenues Route Scotts Hill Cherry Hill Light Local 29 Cherry Hill 1 0% Rail Route Owings Mills Town Reisterstown Plaza Local 59 1 0% Center Metro Route