Baltimore Red Line

Alignment

The Red Line would be a roughly 14-mile east-west light rail line connecting Woodlawn in Baltimore County to Bayview/Highlandtown, running through downtown Baltimore and filling a long-standing east-west gap in the region’s transit network (existing Light RailLink and Metro SubwayLink both run north-south/radial). The project was originally canceled by Governor Larry Hogan in 2015 after federal funding had been secured, then revived by Governor Wes Moore in June 2023.

In June 2024, the state selected light rail as the project’s recommended mode over bus rapid transit, with the alignment split between surface running and tunneled segments through downtown. However, federal funding uncertainty has since forced the state to reconsider scope: as of May 2026 community open houses, options under discussion include the full 14-mile light rail build, a phased first segment from Edmondson Village to Shot Tower, or converting the corridor to BRT to control costs.

Updates

2026-05 — Open houses weigh funding-driven path forward

MTA Maryland held community open houses presenting options ranging from the full light rail build to a phased segment or a lower-cost BRT conversion, reflecting continued federal funding uncertainty.

2025-11 — Bloomberg reports project “struggles to pick up speed”

Coverage highlighted the gap between the state’s 2024 mode selection and the project’s continued lack of committed construction funding.

2024-06 — Light rail selected as recommended mode

Governor Moore’s administration announced light rail as the Red Line’s recommended mode, following a renewed alternatives analysis after the project’s 2023 revival.

2023-06 — Governor Moore revives the project

After eight years dormant, Governor Wes Moore announced the state would restart planning for the Red Line.