HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE
Unfortunate Reality Setting In
Summer 2023:
Hopeful Talk and Press Conferences
Winter 2024:
Serious Questions About The Only Grant Application that was Submitted -
One of the key goals of the City’s Sept 2024 grant submission: To take down the bridges over MLK, a project requested by a developer and expected to cost in excess of $60 million.
The things that many in the community worry about with this plan:
a) further isolation of West Baltimore from downtown
b) misuse of funds intended for communities instead redirected to powerful developers
Winter 2025:
Grant Monies Gone; Opportunity Missed, Long-Term Advocacy Initiated
US Senators Van Hollen and Cardin are joined at the podium in Midtown-Edmondson by Congressman Mfume, Congressman Ruppersburger, Mayor Scott, Councilman Bullock, MD Transportation Secretary Wiedefeld and others. There was great talk then of how Baltimore is going to use the federal 2021 Infrastructure Bill to make a Highway to Nowhere reimagine a reality. But now, six months later, we’re staring down the prospect of missing the deadline entirely for capital funds. Will any of these leaders lead us to a successful proposal and capital funding in time?
ECO President Joe Richardson with Maryland Senator Van Hollen - whose been a big supporter of community efforts in the Rt 40 West corridor. However, he would know that the window is nearly shut to get any capital funding from the program he specifically designed for the Highway to Nowhere, and got inserted into 2021 Federal Infrastructure Bill.
