BALTIMORE, MD (July 3, 2024) – The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists that temporary commercial vehicle restrictions will be implemented on Thursday, July 4^th in the downtown and Inner Harbor areas of Baltimore City. 

The restrictions will be in effect on Thursday, July 4, 2024, starting at 12:00 p.m. and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. that evening.  During this time, commercial vehicles will NOT be permitted in the downtown and Inner Harbor portions of Baltimore City, except for local deliveries.  Please note that tanker trailers will NOT be permitted downtown during this time, including those for local deliveries.  These commercial vehicle restrictions exclude cabs, buses and other mass transportation vehicles.

Commercial Vehicle Restrictions will be implemented in the following areas:

• Fayette Street from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to President Street.  Commercial vehicles will not be allowed to travel on or south of Fayette Street.
• President Street from Aliceanna to Fayette Streets.  Commercial vehicles will not be allowed to travel on or west of President Street.
• Light Street from Pratt Street to Key Highway.
• Key Highway from Light to McComas Streets.
• Hanover Street from McComas to Montgomery Streets.  Commercial vehicles will not be allowed north of McComas Street, including Hanover Street.
• Pratt, Lombard and Baltimore Streets from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to President Street.
• I-395 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard split to Pratt Street. 
• No commercial vehicle traffic will be allowed east of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard from the I-395 split to Fayette Street.

In addition to the temporary commercial vehicle restrictions, the following streets will be closed on Thursday, July 4, 2024, from 8:30 p.m. until clear:

• Eastbound Conway Street at I-395 - Northbound I-395 traffic will be diverted north on Howard Street. 
• Pratt Street will be closed at Charles Street - Pratt Street traffic will be diverted north on Charles Street to continue east on Baltimore Street.
• Lombard Street will be closed at President Street - Westbound Lombard Street traffic will be diverted at President Street to continue west on Fayette Street. 
• Southbound Light Street will be closed at Lombard Street - Southbound Light Street traffic will be diverted onto Lombard Street to continue south on Sharp Street.
• Northbound Light Street will be closed at Lee Street - Northbound Light Street traffic will be diverted onto Lee Street to continue north on Charles Street.

The following lane closures will be implemented on Thursday, July 4, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. until clear:

• North side of Lombard Street from President to South Streets
• West side of Charles Street from Conway to Fayette Streets

Parking restrictions will also be implemented on Thursday, July 4, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. until 11:59 p.m. at the following locations:

• Both sides of Gay Street from Pratt to Fayette Streets
• Both sides of Calvert Street from Pratt to Fayette Streets
• Both sides of Baltimore Street from Charles to Gay Streets
• West side of Charles Street from Pratt to Lombard Streets
• West side of Light Street from Pratt to Camden Streets
• East side of Light Street from Lombard to Pratt Streets
• East side of Charles Street from Lee to Barre Streets
• South side of Key Highway from Light to Covington Streets
• East side of Light Street from Lee to Conway Streets (parking restricted from 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, through 12:00 p.m. on Friday, July 5, 2024)

Due to the large number of people expected in the downtown area for July 4^th festivities, patrons attending the events are strongly encouraged to use public transportation including mass transit, the Charm City Circulator and rideshare options.  Patrons who drive downtown should park at commercial parking facilities and avoid area neighborhoods.

Transportation Enforcement Officers (TEO’S) will be in place to facilitate the movement of traffic in the downtown area.  Motorists should exercise patience and be on the watch for pedestrians while driving downtown, especially when approaching area crosswalks.

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Mayor Scott, BCDOT Announce Start Date for Expanded Charm City Circulator Service in Cherry Hill Community

New Circulator Route Will Begin Running on June 23, 2024

BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, May 22, 2024) – Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Department of Transportation Director Corren Johnson announced expanded service improvements to the Charm City Circulator (CCC), the City of Baltimore’s fare-free bus service providing transit in the downtown area and beyond, will be implemented on June 23, 2024. The service enhancements include a long-anticipated new CCC route, which will serve the Cherry Hill neighborhood, as well as changes to the northern and southern ends of the Purple Route.

The new northern end of the Purple Route extension will connect residents to a hospital system and food hub. The addition of the Cherry Hill Route is a service connection lauded by community and transit advocates as an important step in service equity for Baltimore City. Many residents and businesses alike see the route as an opportunity for enhanced connectivity, greater economic mobility, and a more reliable commute. The expanded network will allow ease of access to job opportunities, entertainment, and all Downtown Baltimore has to offer.

The new Cherry Route will operate between the Inner Harbor and Cherry Hill in southwest Baltimore. Destinations along this new route include Federal Hill, Riverside, McHenry Row, Baltimore Peninsula, Middle Branch Park, MedStar Harbor Hospital, and the Cherry Hill Light Rail Station. Circulator buses along this route will run on a 20-minute frequency.

In addition to the new Cherry Route, the alignment along the Purple Route will be modified. Because the Cherry Route will serve the Federal Hill neighborhood, the Purple Route will no longer travel south of Montgomery Street. Additionally, on the north end of the Purple Route, service will be extended east along 33rd Street to Greenmount Avenue. Additional destinations served along the Purple Route’s new extension include MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and Giant Food.

The Cherry Route will operate on a 20-minute frequency; the Purple Route will operate on a 13-minute frequency; the Orange Route will operate on a 10-minute frequency; the Green Route will operate on a 20-minute frequency; and the Banner Route will operate on a 40-minute frequency.

These service improvements were derived through the Transit Development Plan (TDP) process, which took place throughout 2021 and 2022. The TDP aims to create a roadmap for the Circulator’s future and improve the equity of service. These changes utilize the Circulator’s existing 23-bus fleet and are within the CCC’s existing budget.

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation continues to coordinate with partner agencies and other stakeholders to determine implementation timelines and feasibility of additional changes laid out in the Transit Development Plan.

A service map reflecting the changes that take effect on June 23 is shown below.

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Baltimore City Road Closures and Recommended Truck Routes Due to the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 - The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has been working closely with local, state, and federal partners since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge early this morning.  

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation is actively evaluating the projected impact of the bridge collapse on City corridors, particularly our designated truck routes. Higher traffic volumes on City roads are anticipated, particularly along designated truck route corridors, and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation is actively working on plans to help mitigate the impact on local communities. 

In order to minimize impacts, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation is modifying our official truck map which details how truck drivers may use Baltimore City roads and highways.  Please refer to the GIS map for the most up-to-date route information:  Baltimore City Official Truck Routes (arcgis.com).
Truckers are encouraged to continue checking this official map in the coming days as additional modifications may be made. 

Motorists should also be aware that portions of Fort Armistead Road and Hawkins Point Road are closed at this time.  Drivers are encouraged to download the Waze.com app for live detour navigation.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott Officially Declares Local State of Emergency in Response to the Collapse of the Key Bridge

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 - Mayor Brandon M. Scott has officially declared a local State of Emergency in response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The Executive Order mobilizes the City of Baltimore’s Emergency Operations Plan to deploy emergency resources to protect the persons affected by the incident and expands the resources available to tackle the emergency situation.