Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets Design Effort

***REMINDER:  The public comment period on the final Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets Feasibility Study Project Report will be closing on April 15, 2022.  Be sure to submit your comments below before the deadline!***

Submit public comments on the final Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets Feasibility Study Project Report.  Public comments on the report will be accepted through April 15, 2022.

Project Purpose:

Using a combination of previously completed studies of the area, current and future plans, analysis of current conditions, and input from the community, a future-minded design concept will be created that highlights neighborhood features and reconnects people to the park.  The Baltimore City Department of Transporation will: 

1.       Initiate a study and concept design for the two-mile corridor of Druid Park Lake Drive from the I-83 off-ramp to the second entrance of Greenspring Ave.

2.       Evaluate and identify opportunities for traffic calming and roadway enhancements to improve the corridor’s safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users reflecting concepts and guidelines outlined within the Baltimore City Complete Streets Draft Manual.

3.       Incorporate ways to embrace and reclaim the historic relevance of this area, while maintaining more of an aesthetically pleasing boulevard enhancement.

Goals:

·       Identify areas of multimodal improvement

·       Develop methods for traffic calming

·       Identify areas for safer connections for those traveling outside of a car

·       Re-incorporate roadway sections to become part of the park  

·       Consider new circulation/ traffic patterns to highlight historical/structural elements from their original vantage points

·       Design a corridor that models a boulevard concept and incorporates aesthetic elements and ADA features

History of Druid Park Lake Drive:

Many residents of the Black and Jewish neighborhoods nearby expressed their opposition to the expressway, arguing that it would negatively affect their communities and asking why they weren’t consulted.

The JFX & DPLD Exit ramps were under construction, from 1955-to 1962. Druid Park Lake Drive was intended to be used almost exclusively to reduce commute times for suburban dwellers who worked in downtown Baltimore. The construction also severed the historical connection to the Reservoir Hill and Mt. Royal Terrace neighborhoods below the iconic Moorish Tower. 

Between 1927 and 1964, Druid Park Lake Drive’s construction reduced the number of pedestrian access points to Druid Hill Park from 18 to just 5. Photos and information courtesy of Unknown Studio and Toole Design.

See also: The Big Jump, A safe and comfortable pedestrian and bicycle connection between and within the Reservoir Hill and Remington neighborhoods.

 Get Involved:

• Bookmark this page for upcoming events (online and in-person)
• Follow BCDOT on social media:
  Instagram
  Twitter
  Facebook 

For additional information about the Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets Design Effort, contact: