North Baltimore Journal

WASHINGTON – On June 23, 2023, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $20 million for the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration’s (MDOT MTA) Mondawmin RAISE Transit Hub Project. This federal investment will support upgrades to the station’s transit infrastructure and improve pedestrian accessibility in the surrounding area. The funds are provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grants Program, which the lawmakers fought to significantly boost within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Today’s announcement comes after the lawmakers wrote in February to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in support of MDOT’s grant application for the funding. 

“Mondawmin Station is one of Baltimore’s busiest transit hubs, but it needs significant updates to better serve commuters. We worked to secure this $20 million in federal funding to strengthen bus and rail service and promote safer access to the station for Baltimoreans who rely on Mondawmin Station day in and day out. This is another example of the critical investments we’re delivering to our communities through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” said the lawmakers. 

“Mondawmin Station is a critical hub for Baltimore, connecting residents and visitors to Mondawmin Mall, Coppin State University and Baltimore City Community College, as well as other schools, shopping and attractions like the Maryland Zoo and Druid Hill Park,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “This federal RAISE grant, along with the continued support of our Congressional delegation and the Moore-Miller Administration, will help us enhance safety and environmental features at the station, improve bike and pedestrian connections and more. The result will be easier, more convenient access to transit for all.” 

“The Maryland Transit Administration recognizes the importance of convenient, equitable transit access for all residents of Baltimore,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “This RAISE grant will greatly enhance pedestrian safety and ADA access to Mondawmin Station, one of our network’s busiest transfer points.” 

Mondawmin Station is the most-used transfer point in Baltimore’s transit system due to its location on Baltimore’s sole Metro line and its role as a connecting point for 11 MTA bus routes. However, the station’s users – the majority of whom access it by foot or wheelchair – must navigate unsafe intersections and roadways known for pedestrian safety challenges. In addition to supporting critical investments in multi-modal infrastructure, this $20 million grant will ensure that the station and sidewalks within a half-mile are fully ADA compliant, and enhance pedestrian and bike connections to the station from nearby communities, schools, parks, and shopping. In addition, this project will complement significant nearby transportation investments, including multi-million-dollar renovations of two Baltimore City public schools and a redesign of Druid Park Lake Drive. 

The lawmakers worked to authorize the RAISE Grant Program at $7.5 billion over five years under the IIJA. For fiscal year 2023, the program was funded at a combined $2.3 billion from both the infrastructure law and the FY23 government funding bill. 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a once-in-a-generation investment in American infrastructure that will provide more than $7 billion in federal funding directly to Maryland over five years to strengthen our infrastructure from transit systems to roads and bridges to water infrastructure, broadband connectivity, and more. The lawmakers worked to secure passage of this law in Congress, which will help spur job creation, enhance U.S. competitiveness, and make our transportation systems more sustainable and equitable.

Original source can be found here.