Highlandtown war-games the Red Line
The Southeast Community Development Corp. and its Greektown counterpart are asking Highlandtown arrea resients to take part in a strategy session this week to plan for the possibility of a new light rail station at the Eastern Avenue underpass.
The station would be part of the Maryland Transit Administration's proposed Red Line - a 14-mile rail or bus line between Woodlawn and Bayview.
The session is called a charette -- an intense design workshop bringing together citizens, planners and architects. The first public session is Monday night between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School at 231 S. Eaton St.. Subsequent public sessions will be held at the same time and place Wednesday and Friday nights. There is also a series of daytime meetings during the week for such stakeholder froups as local merchants, property owners and government agencies.
Comments
If you read between the lines (see the 4/29 article in The Guide paper), this charette would essentially assume and then dictate that Alt 4C (or 4B) be constructed. Alt 4C is the alternative or choice of the business community. The sleight of hand here is that the article promoting the event indicates that issues of whether the line (the Southeast CDC assumes it will be LRT) will be above ground or under ground will not be discussed....as if it's still an option to be decided.
The site is near the intersection of a Norfolk Southern rail line bridging over Eastern Ave. It's a given. Alt. 4A and 4D don't even have a station there and the alignment misses that spot.
Nate
Posted by: Nate | May 6, 2009 9:16 AM