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The planning study will also establish a robust public engagement process to refine the overall vision and goals and establish performance measures for selecting a preferred concept that can be advanced into design and construction. This study will build from that foundation to identify and set in motion the following steps to finally deliver on those promises made. These are all more advanced planning elements that go beyond visioning and ideas collected in previous planning studies. If successful in winning this grant, the planning study will assess existing conditions, opportunities, and constraints including constructability, multimodal traffic circulation, market demand, and project financing. This 1.4-mile-long trench serves limited value to the transportation network, is a safety hazard with large grade separations and high-speed traffic, and is an eyesore dominating the landscape.īaltimore City is seeking a federal grant through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program to help us advance overdue improvements in West Baltimore. Roughly 50 years later, the road remains a physical and symbolic barrier to progress, dividing large swaths of West Baltimore that were once connected.

Ultimately, the strong community advocacy of the neighborhoods prevailed but not before the West Baltimore section of Route 40 was constructed, thus earning the local moniker the 'Highway to Nowhere.' Construction resulted in the demolition of 971 homes and 62 businesses, subsequently displacing approximately 1,500 residents, many of whom were Black. However, those highway connections were never completed. Sort of recent article linking this road to the issues in West Baltimore: reason.The Highway to Nowhere is a remnant of past efforts to connect Interstate 70 with Interstates 83 and 95 around Baltimore’s Central Business District. This right of way was possibly going to be used in the now canceled Red Line Light Rail line and that would have followed the alignment of the never built 170/70 and connected up with the park and ride at the end of 70 in Woodlawn. The original plan was for another Metro Subway line to run down the middle.that never happened. The center median of the highway is wide enough to fit a rapid transit line. It divides communities and there has been plans over the years to fix this blunder, but nothing has been done. In the end, this road has likely been one factor with keeping West Baltimore from growth. In 1983, this highway was then changed to route 40 and route 40's traffic was rerouted to this highway.

Another idea was formed to connect this section of highway to I 95, thus this section was renamed 595. There has been plans over the years to connect this road with another interstate. This section of highway was eventually opened as 170, which would have been a spur of 70. A good amount of the planned highways for Baltimore were never built. The construction of I-70 into Baltimore was eventually scrapped because of opposition of the highway by may factors, including going through Leakin Park. This is a 1.39-mile section of highway that was originally built to be Interstate 70.

Baltimore road to nowhere