Baltimore’s Mass Transit |
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Baltimore’s Mass Transit |
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In 1963, when the last Baltimore streetcar rolled off the track, the city was following a national trend of trading in old rail lines for bus routes; a trend which would not last. Just two years later, a Metro plan was drawn up. Although the cars would travel most of their routes above ground, the system became known as the subway. In 1971 a reduced version of the original plan was approved. By 1983 it was opened, and Baltimore once again had a rail mass transit route again. The cost and disruptive construction of the Metro caused the MTA to consider other options. In 1974, it reported on a light rail idea. The difference between it and the subway was in its proximity to the automobile traffic. It would be built at street level, much like the old streetcars, eliminating the need for costly tunnels and platforms. In 1987 it was announced that a line would be built from Hunt Valley to Glen Burnie, passing through Baltimore en route. A branch has since been added to the BWI airport.
Facts and Figures |
| Metro length: 15.5 miles Light rail length: 30 miles Fare: $1.35 one way, $3 for an all day pas |
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