How are Baltimore’s existing Metro Subway and Light Rail lines doing?
• Baltimore has a 15-mile Metro Subway line and a 30-mile Light Rail line which opened in phases between 1983 and 1997. A project is now underway to add a second track to nine miles of the Light Rail line, but there are no extensions or new stations included in the project. On an average weekday Metro carries just under 50,000 riders, and Light Rail carries just under 30,000. Ridership has grown steadily since the initial segments were opened, with substantial jumps where the Metro was extended to Johns Hopkins Hospital in East Baltimore, and Light Rail was extended to Hunt Valley with spurs to Penn Station and BWI Airport. Ridership reached an all time high in 2001, and has since declined slightly since that time consistent with the state of the economy and national trends. Both lines have substantial additional capacity, particularly outside the peak commuting hours. While the two lines serve downtown employment and special events well, they lack a sense of a “system” and miss major
