As good stewards of public dollars, we must ensure that every step we take is both fiscally responsible and forward-looking.  

We’ve heard from community members and key stakeholders about your priorities: to deliver the project without delay, connect to existing transit, support economic development and minimize disruption. 

In light of funding constraints at both the federal and state levels, and with your priorities in mind, we’re evaluating three potential strategies to deliver the Red Line in a financially sound and responsible way. 

We are in a new reality: the federal government has been pausing and, in some  instances, cancelling  transportation projects across the country. The new Federal  Administration have not approved new grant agreements in the CIG since they took office and the last Trump Administration did not enter grant agreements for the first 3 years of their administration.  That means we have to be even more disciplined and fiscally responsible as we move forward. 

In Baltimore, the community has made it clear that we cannot delay construction of a safe, reliable East-West transit option. We need to face new challenges head-on,  acting responsibly with the resources we have, and find a sustainable way to keep the Red Line on its path toward construction. 

A phased LRT approach would require segmenting the project and funding smaller portions over time, rather than waiting to fund the entire corridor at once. This approach builds connections for people who live along the corridor more quickly.

A proposed first phase would run from Edmondson Village to the Shot Tower, costing approximately $2.2-2.5B and taking up to 9 years to reach revenue service. MTA would need to separately define and fund future phases based on the need and funding available at that time.

There are risks with a phased LRT approach since the cost and timeline for completing the remaining 8 miles of the corridor are unknown. These risks include future changes to the built environment that could preclude LRT, rising costs due to inflation, and no commitment from future elected officials to support expansion.  Future phases of the light rail project have not been identified beyond Phase 1 because the immediate priority is to deliver a financially and technically feasible project within current funding and capacity constraints. Focusing on Phase 1 ensures that planning decisions are realistic and aligned with available resources before expanding the project scope. Ultimately, each new phase will have a CIG rating and a Benefit/Cost analysis, so the scope of future phases will likely change based on new conditions. 

BRT is a premium transit service that delivers most of the benefits of light rail. BRT makes significant infrastructure upgrades, including: 

• Upgraded stations similar to light rail lines/systems, spaced about every half mile, with streamlined fare payment 

• Exclusive and dedicated transit lanes throughout the corridor to help speed travel 

• At traffic lights, BRT upgrades will give transit vehicles priority to decrease travel times and improve reliability 

• Sidewalks, crosswalks, stormwater improvements, and road repaving will extend beyond station areas for more comprehensive transportation improvements 

For full and phased LRT as well as BRT scenarios, the state is expected to fund at least half of the funding to match federal grants. A competitive application requires identified, achievable revenue sources, reasonable assumptions, and a timeline that aligns with the state’s actual fiscal capacity. A clear, realistic financial plan isn’t just a requirement – it’s the foundation for successfully securing and delivering a federally funded project.

A lower project cost that offers similar benefits is better aligned with the state’s fiscal constraints.

With public input over the next several months, MTA and state leadership anticipate confirming the project direction this year. This plan will enable us to advance the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and engineering design, targeting a Record of Decision and entry into the CIG program.