Light Rail Ridership Increases in Baltimore

(phoro by me)

The Streetsblog Network has an article recapping the recent release of the 2009 Fourth Quarter Ridership Report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). According to the APTA, total public transit ridership hit 10.2 billion for 2009. Light rail transit increased in nine cities, including Baltimore (take that neysayers).

Daily ridership for the Baltimore Light Rail in 2009 averaged 34,700 weekday riders. Total riders on the Light Rail increased from 8,054,100 in 2008 to 8,981,200 in 2009, or an 11.51% increase. The total percentage increase for Baltimore was greatest of the nine cities. Even with this steady increase, the total ridership on the Baltimore system is still lower than it's original projected ridership, and can hold more capacity.

Better connectivity to the Metro Subway at Lexington Market, and a Northbound connection at Penn Station would be two vast improvements to the system that would encourage ridership and transfer. How these were overseen at original construction is beyond me. Increased traffic preemption at instersections along Howard Street (although claimed to have been done, but I don't 100% buyt it. Seriously sit at the intersections at Conway and Camden Streets and count how long the trains sit at the red lights) would decrease travel time.

There is a bright future though, the Westport Development will add ridership and a new destination along the Light Rail, and the Red Line will add another piece to the Baltimore Transit network. These are good things to think about in the next 2-6 years.

Other Baltimore area transit changes are as follows:
Metro Subway - avg. daily riders: 51,800. Annual Riders YTD Change: -6.8%
MARC - avg. daily riders: 30,300. Annual Riders YTD Change: + 0.07%
Bus - avg. daily riders: 292,300. Annual Riders YTD Change: -0.72%

Comments

  1. Human AmericanMarch 10, 2010 at 2:50 PM

    Well, it should be obvious from these numbers that building a train line with dedicated right-of-way is worth the extra up front cost. 51,800 for metro vs. 34,700 for light rail, and the light rail line is more than twice as long. I'm continually disgusted that the LPA for the red line was even considered in the first place given these statistics. If only there were a nearby example of what a comprehensive metro subway system could do for a distressed city - a city close enough that Maryland leaders could take a day trip there. It would be even more convenient if the federal government also had easy access to such a system, so they could see that it's worth funding. If only...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Club One was the House of Welsh

Image
 House of Welsh in 1943. Note the Guilford Elevated streetcar line. At one time, what was 301 Guilford Avenue (at some point over time the address was switched to 300 E. Saratoga St) was called the House of Welsh a long time Baltimore steakhouse and restaurant. Originally opened in 1900 it occupied the corner buildings for 98 years. A 1998 article in The Baltimore Sun details the history of the House of Welsh on the eve of its closure. With the demolition of these three buildings yesterday marks the end of some of the oldest houses that stood near downtown. The houses were build in the 1830s, some of the only other houses of the same period were on St. Paul Street and were demolished to make way for the new Mercy Medical Center tower. Inside these buildings make have taken place some of the more little known, but nonetheless interesting stories in Baltimore's history. In 1904, at the height of the Great Baltimore Fire, a telegraph line was hooked up inside the building...
Read more

Small Improvements to Light Rail That Could Make a Big Impact

Image
S equence lights on Howard Street so trains can move between stations without having to stop at red lights. This would significantly cut down on the travel time between Mt. Royal/UB and Camden Yards. The technology is there, it just needs to be implemented in a more sensible way.  Improve passenger information at each station. This would include updating the maps to reflect the current light rail operation. The maps at most stations outside of downtown are poorly designed and show the light rail configuration when the extensions to Penn Station and BWI first opened in 1997. Way-finding and neighborhood maps showing immediate transit connections and local attractions are a must. Posted schedules should be updated immediately whenever a new version of the timetable is made. Newer Light Rail map at downtown stations. Update signs at all stations. A few years back the downtown stations had new signs that replaced the originals from 1992. In addition the stations feature a sy...
Read more

Where's the New Charm City Circulator?

Image
(photo credit, http://www.yournameyourride.com/ ) It's the summer now, some may even call this the "late summer". It is around this time that Baltimore is supposed to roll out the brand spanking new Charm City Circulator , but where is this free bus service. The one thing I've learned about Baltimore is that press releases, news updates, and service reminders come few and far between in this town. It's mid-August. We got the new name back in June, but no official route map, no official stops, nor schedule. I haven't seen any signs around the downtown area. I live down here now, I haven't seen anything. How do you expect anyone to use this services if it's not being advertised? There were rumors floating back earlier this summer that dedicated bus lanes were going to be painted on Lombard and Pratt Street for not only this service, but the MTA buses that use the same roads, but it doesn't look like that has happened yet. Seems like this thing will ...
Read more