The Baltimore region has suffered too long from underinvestment in transit services — which is shackling economic growth, harming the environment and constraining quality of life for families.
There has been no major transit expansion in the region in more than 30 years. No single moment better illustrates this neglect than the unceremonious and unilateral cancellation of Baltimore’s east-west Red Line in 2015 by a governor who openly favored roads over rail and brushed aside decades of planning and more than a billion dollars in federal investment.
A common thread runs through the history of how we got here: The voice of the Baltimore region is not heard when important transit decisions are made. We don’t have a seat at the table, and we get overlooked.
Transit that serves Baltimore, from buses to light rail to the MARC system, is run by a state agency, an oversight structure that dates to financial woes in the 1950s, when bus and streetcar lines were going bankrupt.
The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is but one unit within the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). Understandably, MDOT is pulled in many directions, overseeing airports, roads and bridges. Year after year, the transit needs of the Baltimore region get subsumed.
The MTA is also built to make decisions internally, without input from the local governments in which it operates and without transparency. Consider this: Of the 35 largest transit systems in the U.S, the Baltimore region’s is the only system lacking its own board of directors.
The situation is even more distressing when you compare the Baltimore region to the Washington region, which is served by WMATA, an independent authority that operates over 100 miles of subway lines considered among the best in the nation.
As the Red Line was canceled, the Purple Line in Montgomery and Prince George’s moved forward, and construction is now almost 90% complete — ready to connect workers, jobs and economic growth. The contrast is stark. The consequences could not be higher.
It is clear that a strong local voice is needed when making transit decisions for the Baltimore region, with structured local participation in transit oversight.
That’s precisely the finding of the Workgroup on the Reorganization of the Maryland Transit Administration, which was established by the Maryland General Assembly in the 2025 session. The workgroup was composed of legislators, local government leaders, transit advocates and officials from MDOT and MTA. After months of work and five public meetings focused on MDOT’s structure and history, MTA’s workforce needs and options for reform, the group is recommending a clear and practical way forward.
The workgroup has recommended the creation of a new Baltimore Core Services Board of Directors within the MTA, along with an advisory board for commuter services. The core services board would focus solely on the region’s bus, light rail and metro systems. It would review and approve MTA budget and planning decisions for Baltimore and provide guardrails to protect major capital investments from unilateral withdrawal.
Members of this board would be appointed by the governor (who would name a majority and the chair), the mayor of Baltimore City and surrounding county executives. Riders and key stakeholders would be represented.
These ideas are now laid out in the Maryland Transit Administration Reform Act (H.B. 1081/S.B. 947), sponsored by Dels. Marc Korman of Montgomery County and Mark Edelson of Baltimore City, and Sen. Cory McCray of Baltimore City.
If the legislation is adopted, MTA’s riders would be represented by a structure that balances state control with meaningful local accountability and transparency, addressing long-standing governance gaps.
Creating a Baltimore Core Services Board within the MTA would be an important step toward parity with the Washington region, which already has a dedicated transit board.
Maryland’s unique state-local dynamic — with state control of transit but local control of land use — needs better coordination. The core services board will bridge that gap.
Governance changes are one part of the equation. Increased revenue or local cost-sharing is needed to create a sustainable and accessible multi-modal transit system for Marylanders. More work and consensus are needed for a funding solution.
The cancellation of the Red Line and the construction of the Purple Line were a wakeup call for the Baltimore region. The Baltimore Metropolitan Council has undertaken significant work since then, bringing together the right stakeholders to create a path forward.
We call on state lawmakers to adopt legislation this session to implement the Baltimore Core Services Board. We believe that the result will be tangible improvements for Baltimore transit riders, as well as the region’s economy and environment.
Brandon Scott is the mayor of Baltimore. Kathy Klausmeier is the Baltimore County executive. Steuart Pittman is the Anne Arundel County executive. All serve on the board of directors of the nonprofit Baltimore Metropolitan Council.