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Volpe Center Highlights - November/December 2005

Mobility

Director's Notes | Focus | Safety | Mobility | Environmental Stewardship
Security | Organizational Excellence | Awards | Published and Presented

Systematic Study of Transportation and Land Use (Baltimore City DOT)

The recent rapid pace of development in southeast Baltimore has raised concerns among residents and businesses about the ability of the existing transportation infrastructure to handle projected demands. In response, the Baltimore City DOT (BCDOT) engaged the Volpe Center to systematically study transportation issues in southeast Baltimore and to identify recommendations that would be comprehensive yet still address specific local conditions. In contrast to a site-specific traffic impact study, the Center's approach has taken into account the interplay of many factors in the entire southeast area.

Phase I of the study recently concluded with a draft report based on the Volpe Center team's observations, research, analyses, and discussions with internal city representatives and external stakeholders from neighborhoods, businesses, and developers in the southeast. This report outlines specific short-term and long-term recommendations that together form a coordinated program for addressing southeast Baltimore's transportation issues and that can serve as a template for examining similar issues in other parts of the city. The recommended program is intended to help 1) increase capacity, e.g., relieve bottlenecks, increase parking; 2) decrease demand for roads, e.g., unify transportation demand management, improve transit, support nonmotorized transportation and pedestrian-oriented streets; and 3) rethink the system, e.g., collect and use data more strategically, expand outreach and interagency coordination, and reconfigure responsibility for traffic mitigation.

Phase II of the study, underway since fall 2005, addresses truck-related concerns in the far southeastern area of Baltimore, an important location for the Port of Baltimore and associated businesses as well as some residential communities. Volpe Center team members have met with business and neighborhood representatives to collect a range of quantitative and qualitative information on the most pressing truck-related issues in the study area. For businesses, the quality of site access is essential, while residents focus on minimizing the negative impacts of trucks passing through their neighborhoods. Analysis and validation of the information will provide the foundation for reconciling different viewpoints, promoting constructive problem solving among stakeholders, and, ultimately, implementing the most viable solutions through BCDOT. The Volpe Center team includes Dr. David Damm-Luhr and Ms. Rachael Barolsky of the Planning and Policy Analysis Division and Dr. Scott Smith and Ms. Frances Fisher of the Service and Operations Assessment Division. Ms. Hannah Rakoff, formerly of CASE, LLC, supported Phase I of the study.

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