Maps & Stations
Satellite Map
Station Locations
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Station Planning Process
The transit station is the area in which transit users get on and off the system and have their first impressions of the Red Line Corridor. Because of this, the planning of stations will be critical to the overall success of the Red Line Study.
Station Design
Station Concept Sketches
The Baltimore Red Line is a 21st Century light rail transit system that will connect local neighborhoods and also link Baltimore to the world.
The design team looked at existing systems in Baltimore, the region and the world to understand the best practices that can be applied to the new Red Line route.
At the surface stations, the goal is to create a station and station area that is safe, secure and well lit. The canopies on the platforms provide shelter from sun and weather and create enough presence that the rider feels protected waiting for the train. The design of the canopies draws from heritage of Baltimore and is shaped and scaled to be respectful in all neighborhoods along the line.
At the underground stations, the objective is to create an environment that intuitively orients the customer moving in and out of the station. By shaping the ceiling plane and using a combination of direct and indirect lighting the station begins to feel more day-lit and inviting. Vertical planes are accentuated to emphasize openness and connect the platform and mezzanine levels.
The Red Line stations are connected by a palette of materials, textures and forms that orient the rider to the line they are on.
The station design is ongoing and next steps will include further integration with each station area and community.
Concept Sketch of Underground Station Mezzanine
Design Goals
- 21st Century Transit
- Baltimore Heritage
- Community Integration
- Design Excellence
- Visual Marker for Neighborhood
- Day / Night Street Presence
- Open Platform
- Safe / Secure / Well Lit
- High Quality Rider Experience
- Canopy Coverage
- Passenger Amenities
Display Boards
UDARP Presentations
Operations & Maintenance Facility
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The essential function of the Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) is to maintain and service Light Rail vehicles. Maintenance is a crucial element of the System's operation. An Operations and Maintenance Facility will provide the central location for efficient Light Rail vehicle maintenance, cleaning and service. The MTA prides itself in maintaining a system that is safe, while providing convenient and reliable service. It is important that the light rail vehicles are properly maintained for the safety of riders, employees and, for the overall efficient operation of the system. Light rail trains make thousands of trips per day and like any other vehicle, regular maintenance minimizes breakdowns and system disruptions. In designing the facility, the MTA has given consideration to the existing neighborhood architecture, the scale and height of the structures. In fact, fencing, landscaping, and low-profile lighting poles will keep the site attractive and safe as well as help it blend into the neighborhood. Key Functions & Features
Calverton Road Site Characteristics
Daily Activities in OMF
Presentations |
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A Conversation with the OMF Design Manager, Chuck Belser
1.) What is your role on the Red Line?
"I am the package manager for the design of the Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF). In this role, I serve as the design manager, and also the technical advisor to the team on how this type of facility usually operates."
2.) How does your role influence the outcome of the project?
"The OMF needs to be the best tool it can be for the operations of the Red Line and maintenance of the vehicles. If the design is not done correctly, or an important function doesn't have the correct space or equipment planned for it, the people working in the facility could be saddled with having to overcome these deficiencies. In contrast, I also need to manage the design so that it is not "gold plated" with things that aren't really needed, and add unnecessary cost."
3.) Why are those outcomes important?
"The OMF may be in operation for 50 years or more. It should be flexible to change with different types of operation, and advances in vehicle design. The appearance of the facility to the public who drive by it or come to visit, represents the MTA, and it is important to project a business-like appearance, yet one that is functional and durable."
4.) What are the challenges in achieving your objectives? How are they overcome?
"The OMF has many stakeholders: the current MTA managers, the project management consultants, the city & state authorities having jurisdiction, the workers and the public. For over 30 years I have been doing projects of this type. I have found that a collaborative approach to small and large problems is the way to get things done as well as consideration of the viewpoints and needs of numerous stakeholders."
5.) What design elements were included in the Red Line OMF in consideration of the surrounding community, (Landscaping, materials, scale of the structures)?
"The scale of the largest building was established with its lower parts fronting Franklin Street. On the opposite site of the street are two-story homes and businesses, and it is important not to overwhelm them from a visual perspective. Moving the building back from the street also does the same thing. The building is proposed about 60 feet back from the south curb of Franklin Street. In that space we have provided some terraced areas that will be landscaped. The largest building is really the best face of the OMF site. It will have modern materials, with a proposed transparency that allows views into the building to see the vehicles and maintenance work. As the largest building, it also provides screening of sound and light that is generated in the back part of the site where most vehicle movements and other activities take place. The large heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment that is mounted on the roof is located near the center of the building so that it will be less visible from the street or nearby residences. This placement and the on-going sounds of Franklin Street will minimize the potential for sounds of the equipment from being heard beyond the site.
Landscaping proposed along Franklin Street will consist of two rows of trees to assist with screening. An ornamental fence is proposed to be positioned within the landscaping to soften its appearance from the street and adjacent residences. The sidewalk is pushed back from the curb to provide a strip for landscaping and safer walking path. Trees are also proposed along N. Franklintown Road.
Other buildings on the site are placed according to the functions they need to provide. The Facility Maintenance and Transportation building will also be visible from trains running on the Northeast Corridor that is directly south of the site.
Throughout the site, light poles are proposed to be no taller than 30 feet, and the light fixtures are being designed to direct the light to where it is needed, in order to minimize impacts to the surrounding community. The catenary poles that provide power to the light rail vehicles are also being designed to be short and with a simple design that only requires one wire to run above the track. Patterns of traffic on Franklin Street will need to change to support the light rail system, and accommodations have been made to maintain a high level of safety. Turns by automobile across the tracks will be prohibited, and a pedestrian crossing with traffic signals is proposed at Evergreen Street connecting to the bus stop on the south side of Franklin."
MTA's Operations & Maintenance Facility Virtual Tour
Take a Virtual Tour of the current Light Rail Maintenance facilities for the Central Light Rail. |