Red Line Aftermath: How Baltimore Turned Cancellation Into Innovation

The Baltimore Red Line received almost a billion dollars in federal funding before it was abruptly canceled in 2015 by a newly-elected Governor. Magnified by an already-strained relationship with residents, this cancellation became a catalyst for intense analysis of the roles state and local stakeholders should play in transit governance and funding. Baltimore is the only large metropolitan agency in the nation whose transit system is operated by a state agency without the oversight of any board or commission, a structure that exacerbates a disconnect between transit and land use and hinders transit-oriented development. Hear the story of innovative governance strategies pursued by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council in the wake of the Red Line’s cancellation. Learn how they successfully crafted and passed a new governance structure, an essential step toward the goal of a more transparent, efficient and equitable transit system that works for all residents of the region.

Moderator: Michael Kelly, Executive Director, Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Baltimore, MD
Tony Bridges, Assistant Secretary, Transportation Equity and Engagement, Maryland Department of Transportation, Baltimore, MD
Steuart Pittman, County Executive, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Annapolis, MD