By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) on April 6 at Rogers Avenue Metro Station in Baltimore unveiled the Baltimore Regional Transit Oriented Development Strategy, which the Moore-Miller administration hopes will increase the state’s economy and lower housing prices.
Rogers Avenue Metro Station is located in Park Heights, a majority-Black neighborhood that experienced decades of disinvestment until recent years.
According to 2023 data from the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance, 26.6 percent of homes in the city do not have vehicles. Investments in affordable and reliable public transportation have been shown to spur economic advancement in poorer neighborhoods by connecting residents to jobs and other opportunities.
“Today’s announcement really underscores the state’s commitment to Baltimore and our shared commitment to transit-oriented development giving residents the opportunity to live and work next to transit,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D). “For generations, restrictive housing and transportation policies were intentionally used to limit opportunity and investment in many of our neighborhoods.
“Announcements like this one are about expanding access to our subway stations and turning underutilized spaces – like parking lots – into something that actually serves our residents and creates opportunity and housing for all,” he added.
The governor and officials from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) also announced the first step toward obtaining a development partner to build the North Parcel at the Rogers Avenue Metro Station. The site includes about 9 acres of state-owned land adjacent to the station that is currently used as a large and underutilized parking lot.
Under this plan, the site would generate more than 400 new housing units, over $120 million in state and local tax revenue and greater than $50,000 in additional annual fare revenue.
“You cannot have a thriving state if your state’s largest city does not have a partner inside the work,” said Moore. “You cannot have economic mobility if you do not have physical mobility. You have to be able to invest in the way that people move, and if opportunity is not near transit then you’re just making their lives harder.”
The strategy is part of Moore’s broader effort to enhance regional mobility through transit investments. Other initiatives include the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) $1.4 billion Light Rail Modernization Program, upgrading the Baltimore Central Light Rail Line from Hunt Valley to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport with new vehicles and station improvements.
During the event, officials took a ride on one of the new Metro Subway cars from Rogers Station to Charles Center. The cars are part of a $400 million investment supported by Maryland’s congressional delegation to purchase 78 new rail cars and refine the communications system to improve reliability and on-time performance.
“In January, six brand new Hitachi Rail cars, built in Maryland by Maryland workers, began serving our people in the Baltimore Metro,” said Moore. “By 2027, 78 new rail cars will be running across the system backed by more than a billion-dollar investment in Baltimore — a billion dollars invested in Baltimore’s Metro and light rail.”
Moore said 134 acres of state-owned land across the Baltimore region are ready for development, potentially supporting nearly 5,000 new homes and generating almost $1.4 billion in state and local tax revenue.
“The Baltimore region transit-oriented development strategy is a roadmap for increasing investment and development around Baltimore’s metro subway and light rail system,” said Katie Thompson, MDOT secretary. “We look forward to fully utilizing our state-owned land around transit stations and transforming these areas into vibrant, connected communities.”
According to updated U.S. Census data from 2024, Black residents make up about 59.2 percent of the city’s population.