Baltimore Red Line Underground

Did they fudge it?

MTA uses math tricks to fudge the federal formula.

Governor O’Malley completed the state’s expected pantomime Tuesday, choosing the $1.6 billion-plus Red Line Alternative 4C as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). It was chosen partially because it’s the most “viable,” meaning that it’s closest to meeting preferred cost standards for Federal money. Their numbers have improved 24% since than the last time the project was formally evaluated.

But you have to wonder – what did the MTA do to 4C to approach that preferred standard?

One way was to cut corners on the project. Making a single-track “Death Trap tunnel” under Cooks Lane is reckoned to save perhaps $70 million. But single tracking is an option the MTA rejected before because it causes, in their own words, “Longer travel times – this is due to the need to wait for trains in the opposing direction; Less frequent service – resulting in a less convenient, attractive service; Lower passenger capacity due to less frequent service, not allowing for future ridership growth, and overall operational and maintenance flexibility.”

What all that means is that the system is less reliable and slower. The end-to-end travel time has now increased to a sluggish 44 minutes, an average speed of 19mph.
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Opposition to Controversial Red Line Project Voiced — Loudly

Jon Hyman, Canton resident, and other members of the Canton and Edmondson communities protest the surface rail portions of the proposed Red Line at Tuesday announcement. Photo – The Daily Record.

Press Release [pdf]: Governor O’Malley’s support for a surface train line through Baltimore neighborhoods was loudly shouted down by Baltimore residents at his Tuesday Press Event held at the West Baltimore MARC station.

“The Governor has ignored our concerns about this project, if this is the only way to get him to hear us, this is what we will have to do,” said Jon Hyman, a member of the West-East Coalition, a volunteer citizen group supporting a properly designed mass transit system.

In his speech, the Governor spoke of jobs and Federal money the project would bring, but failed to mention that $1 billion would have to come from the state itself.

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We recently received a copy of Senator George Della’s recent letter to Governor O’Malley. Click here to read and enjoy. Senator Della – thank you for being a staunch and honest supporter of the community.

For those who prefer to read it in plain text, it’s copied below. Read more…

More than 1500 signed cards tell Governor O’Malley what real residents want.

Canton Residents Deliver 1350 signed cards to Governor O'Malley's Office

Press Release [pdf]: The Canton contingent of the West-East Coalition against Red Line Alternative 4C presented Governor O’Malley’s office with 1350 signed cards opposing surface trains through Canton’s residential neighborhoods. Hundreds more have been collected since.

The cards were delivered to Governor O’Malley’s Executive Director for Community Initiatives Izzy Patoka on Friday 7/31 in response to a campaign carried out by a marketing organization posing as a grassroots group in Canton.

The sham group was hired by the Central Maryland Transit Alliance (CMTA), a spin-off from the Greater Baltimore Council, which supports Alternative 4C.

Canton volunteers working part-time collected twice as many postcards as the hired marketers in half the time.

“We wanted the Governor to hear the real opinion of Canton residents on the Red Line, not a marketing campaign paid for by business interests,” said Canton Community Association President Darryl Jurkiewicz. “Canton residents support responsible, effective mass transit, but Alternative 4C isn’t it. Alternative 4C is expensive, slow, and low capacity, without a connection to existing systems.”

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DC Metro Crash "Worst Disaster in Metro History" kills 9. Image from WJLA, Washington, June '09.

The MTA has  scrambled to cut costs for the Red Line Alternative 4C to make the project qualify for Federal funds. One controversial plan would put a single-track tunnel under Cooks Lane. Edward Cohen, a member of the Red Line CAC and of TRAC, recently wrote a letter to Congressman Cummings expressing his opposition to this tunnel for reasons of safety (click to read). It is shocking how dangerous this tunnel would be.

Mr. Cohen explained that this is a “death trap tunnel” with three blind corners and trains coming from both directions at speeds of 50mph. This creates the possibility of a 100-mph collision and a multiple train pileup! No other rail in the U.S. has seen fit to build such a risky tunnel.

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A vote by a citizen’s transportation advisory council to oppose Red Line Alternative 4C was shut down on a technicality by the State appointed chair.

On July 9th, 2009, The Red Line Citizens’ Advisory Council (CAC) met at the Holy Rosary Church. On the agenda was a vote to rescind the CAC’s December 11 recommendation of Alternative 4C.

A majority of 6 members voted to rescind the recommendation. However, because of a technicality, a majority was not enough to pass the vote.

The discussion was put on the agenda at the previous meeting without a formal motion. Under those conditions, a 2/3 majority was required to rescind, according to Robert’s Rules of Order . The CAC Chair Ms. Angela Bethea-Spearman, who supports 4C, ruled that the motion to rescind failed. The CAC canceled its August monthly meeting, staving off the vote once again.

The CAC was formed by Maryland law in 2007 amid controversy to involve communities in planning stages of projects that would effect them. Public meetings are held monthly. The Council includes community members, officials from Baltimore City Departments of Transportation and Planning, and an official from Baltimore County.

Opposition to 4C has increased exponentially, said one CAC member. Community members of the CAC said that to continue to block the vote was to ignore the public’s voice to the MTA.