Operation Orange Cone Blog

Belair Road Corridor Study

The Belair Road Corridor Study is an assessment of the major transportation issues of a 4 mile stretch of Belair Road, a major gateway street in northeast Baltimore. The data and recommendations presented in the plan will help determine future infrastructure investments. Our goal is to make Belair Road a safer, more accessible and economically vibrant place for northeast Baltimore communities.

We are still accepting community input on the plan. Please send questions and comments to Mark R. Brown  (mark.brown@baltimorecity.gov).

Belair Road Corridor Improvement Study

Thanks to the communities along Belair Road for participating in our two public meetings to discuss the Belair Road Corridor Study. The study will be used as an important guide for future street improvements.

We received a lot of great feedback which we will incorporate into the final plan. In general, communities want a more pedestrian friendly street, slower traffic, and a “Main Street” character to Belair Road which serves the needs of local businesses and residents rather than capacity expansions for pass-through traffic.  Here’s a brief summary of the concerns we heard:

• Intersection of Parkside and Belair – lots of cars running into fixed objects and buildings
• Intersection of Belair and Erdman – dangerous left turning movements, cars running into sidewalks, high crash numbers. Community recommended left turn lanes/signals and bollards on sidewalk
• Crosswalk needed somewhere between Erdman and Sinclair Lane. Bus stops, shopping mall, and large gap between pedestrian crossings (3500 ft.) causes people to jay walk at mid-block
• Need handicapped parking somewhere on Belair Road
• Need better pedestrian lighting near businesses
• Median/bumpouts/beautification needed near commercial districts to slow traffic down and create safer, walkable areas
• Consider streetcars as a long term goal. Streetcars down the middle of Belair Road would improve businesses visibility, vitality and act as traffic calming for cars.
• New crosswalks should be stamped concrete or asphalt and painted with bright colors to slow traffic down and make crosswalks more visible.
• Consider bumpouts near intersections to improve driver/pedestrian visibility and prevent cars from parking right up against intersection
• Speeding traffic hurts businesses – drivers speed like they are on a highway, creating an intimidating place for pedestrians.
• Broken/crumbling sidewalks throughout Belair Road
• Pinch points (places where sidewalk width is less than 5 feet) causes people who use a wheelchair to ride on street
• Speed cameras at Gardenville Elementary School at Belair & Frankford
• More frequent buses on Moravia and Frankford intersections needed
• Traffic calming needed on cut through roads in upper Belair Road corridor
• Short term implementation items should be:
  • Traffic/pedestrian safety improvements at intersection of Belair and Erdman
  • ADA compliant curb ramps and widening “pinch points”
  • Rebuilt and more visible crosswalks
  • Pedestrian paddles in middle of street
  • Portable speed cameras/displays
  • Pedestrian countdown timers

Please feel free to post additional comments on this blog, or email them to mark.brown@baltimorecity.gov.