Governor Wes Moore Announces Relaunch Of Baltimore's Red Line, Fulfilling Campaign Promise

BALTIMORE COUNTY - On Thursday, Governor Wes Moore announced the relaunch of Baltimore's Red Line. Reaffirming a key promise made during his campaign trail to restore the mass transit project, previously shut down in 2015.

The Red Line project, called a "boondoggle" by Gov. Larry Hogan, was intended to be an east-to-west mass transit line spanning from western Baltimore County through Baltimore and into eastern Baltimore County. The original Red Line would have connected Bayview Hospital in east Baltimore to Woodlawn in Baltimore County over a 14.1-mile light rail system and cost an estimated $2.9 billion.

"Nearly a decade ago, the previous administration cut the Red Line project at a time when Baltimore was reeling from one of the most trying eras in recent history – but now is the time for us to get this right," said Gov. Moore. "We're going to work together and seize this moment in our nation's history when the stars are aligned to invest in public transit."

According to the Governor's Office, insights from the original plan and the Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan East-West Corridor Feasibility Study will serve as the project's foundation. The Maryland Transit Administration will lead the next development phase, with considerations on transit mode, tunneling options, and Highlandtown/Bayview alignment, among other factors.

The transit administration said that it will apply to the federal Capital Investment Grants program in 2024, which could offer substantial federal financial assistance to advance the project.

During the planning and construction phase, the administration will implement solutions such as launching the QuickLink 40 service and making improvements through the Fast Forward program to improve the east-west bus service. The administration also plans to undertake a rigorous community engagement effort starting in mid-July 2023.

For more information about the Red Line relaunch, visit www.redlinemaryland.com or follow the Red Line relaunch on social media @redlinemaryland.