Improve your circulation
“Smalltimore” might be a fitting description for this town, but not when you're trying to get somewhere.
When I was commuting from Mount Vernon to Columbia, sometimes it took half the 30-minute trip just to get to the on-ramp for I-95 south. And my legs work perfectly well, so I feel guilty driving to, say, the Landmark Theatre in Harbor East, or the new Superfresh supermarket at Charles and Saratoga streets. Neither destination is in another zip code, but it seems a little far to carry a gallon of milk.
Kirby Fowler, the executive director of the Downtown Partnership, knows what I'm talking about.
He was walking to a meeting when I spoke to him this afternoon and often has to get together with business and civic leaders around the city. These encounters sometimes come at a cost.
"There are many times where I need to go 15 blocks and I end up paying parking twice that day --- once for my office job and once for my visits," he said.
But the Downtown Partnership, city officials and others are working on a plan for a "downtown circulator" to reduce congestion and to help residents, employees and visitors navigate the bustling neighborhoods around downtown, the boundaries of which are rapidly expanding.
They've sketched out some tentative service areas, from the Convention Center to Penn Station and from Martin Luther King Boulevard to President Street, as well as connecting Harbor East with Johns Hopkins Hospital. They're thinking about a comfortable, attractive bus running every 10 minutes using hybrid or other "green" technology.
And, my frugal friends,they're exploring various financing options, but they want it to be FREE.
"Studies show that if you make a transit system easy to use and reliable people will use it," Fowler said. "Nothing is easier than telling people it's free. You don't need tickets. You don't need correct change. You just jump on."
Free is waaaay cheaper than paying for a meter, or to park in a garage --- or a parking ticket. And it could eliminate the cost-benefit analysis between assigning a designated driver and trying to find a cab, or picking a destination because it has parking.
Go ahead and tell the Downtown Partnership what you think of this plan, whether you'd use such a proposed shuttle to get to work in the morning, to run errands at lunch or to happy hour in the evening, and where it should stop: the Enoch Pratt Free Library? The post office? Cakelove?
And while you're at it, post below and tell us what you think this new shuttle should be called. Baltimore was once home to its own DASH, a popular choice among many cities. (ed note: There's got to be something less square than "circulator!" -- Dan Thanh)
Comments
I first "circulator" as "circular" and thought it was going to be a cheapo coupon book for free parking.
THEN I read "circulator" right and pictured a monorail. Whee! Wouldn't that be great?
Either way, I'd ride the thing. Huzzah!
Posted by: mary | February 6, 2008 2:17 PM
Something like this is long overdue in Baltimore, IMO. I have long complained that it makes more sense to create free and easy public transit to the inner harbor than to try to create more parking there, which in turn creates more congestion in an already congested area.
Posted by: aeb | February 6, 2008 2:18 PM
I'm all for it, though I take umbrage with the fact that they're considering as far east as Broadway and as far south as Fort Ave. (in other words, Harbor East, Fells and Federal Hill) as "downtown" but won't go a few blocks north to include Bolton Hill/MICA.
I still put in my two cents.
Posted by: maryann | February 6, 2008 2:26 PM
p.s. I love that the downtown partnership uses "survey monkey" :)
Posted by: aeb | February 6, 2008 2:38 PM
I would definitely love and often use a free shuttle in the downtown area. As a female who often does social things at night, I don't always feel safe walking even when I am only going a walkable distance. I am usually torn between driving and having to struggle with parking, paying for a taxi, or not going at all (as a student, parking fees and taxis add up!) I'm not sure what the hours would be for a shuttle like this, but it would especially be useful if it ran at night, as well as during the day.
Posted by: ML | February 6, 2008 3:34 PM
Does anyone use the light rail? It goes from MV to Camden Yards. I like it.
I'm a little wary of more buses, and the free thing doesn't excite me. Doesn't seem the city can police the buses now around the city. Bunch of freeloading high schoolers on them? Forgedaboutit.
And yes, I am 87 years old.
Posted by: dan | February 6, 2008 3:42 PM
Light rail's okay, but it doesn't work for east side destinations, even if it does go from Wegmans in Hunt Valley and to Mt. Washington Village and to the airport.
Posted by: Liz Kay | February 6, 2008 3:47 PM
The survey asked how much I would be willing to pay per ride, so it seems like it might not for sure be free.
Posted by: Erin | February 6, 2008 5:40 PM
They tried something similar in Hampden a couple years ago that I think was called "The Shuttlebug." I think they should call this Rapid Area Transit, a.k.a. The RAT. Because, honestly, who knows Baltimore's streets better than the rats?
Posted by: Nancy Drew | February 7, 2008 11:41 AM
I'm a frequent user of the water taxi. It's a piece of cake to park then walk to the tide point stop and take a boat across to the inner harbour. You don't have to deal with traffic or parking and you get a neat boat ride.
Seems a bit expensive (~$8/person or $80/year) but then again, so is parking.
Locust Point, I agree, especially since it's $8 for unlimited rides each day. It's a low-cost option when shuttling tourists around town as well. No need to struggle to park in Federal Hill, Fells Point and the Inner Harbor ... and as you mentioned, the boat ride to boot. --- lfk
Posted by: locust point man | April 3, 2008 1:51 PM