The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) has announced that The Baltimore Red Line project will be a light-rail line that will address a wide gap in east-west transit service between Bayview and Woodlawn, through downtown Baltimore City, USA.

The decision to use light rail as the transportation mode is based on technical analysis, which considered factors such as access, travel time, connections, reliability, and ridership, along with the line’s cost-effectiveness and extensive public input. Financial analysis also indicated that light rail is more cost-effective in the long term compared to other transit options like bus rapid transit (BRT). Although the initial capital cost for the light rail line is higher than for BRT, light rail vehicles have greater capacity, which benefits the high-density corridor by reducing operational costs per rider and increasing ridership. The MDOT MTA will continue its analysis and collaboration with local partners to determine the route alignment, including potential tunneled segments. The preferred alignment is expected to be announced by the end of 2024.