Signing Ceremony to Endorse the Red Line Community Compact

When I drove to the location for the Signing Ceremony at the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum, I did not know what to expect. I elected not to park in the parking lot since it was a paid lot. I did not know that I could had parked on the street much closer to the event. A parking control person told me after I parked about a half a mile away.

Shortly after my arrival I saw a few people whom I know. Two were people whom I met at the advocacy meeting just a week ago. Barry was one of them.

Ed Cohen was there, but I expected that. Art Cohen was also there. I did not expect to see Paul Graziano, Housing Commissioner, City of Baltimore. I did not have an opportunity to speak with him. Al Fox, Director, Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Paul Wiedefeld, MTA Administrator, remembered me as the one who took the photographs of his daughter. This was at the Transportation Association of Maryland Roadeo in 2006. Dan Pontius of Citizens Planning and Housing Association was also there and I did have an opportunity to greet him.

Another person was Fran Allen of Congressman Elijah Cumming's Office. I think that the Roman collar threw her off. She did not know that I was ordained last year. I also saw Paul Taylor of the Small Business Resource Center.

I also met Franklin McNeil, community consultant for PNC Bank; Dr. Charles W. Simmons, president of Sojourner-Douglass College, and Daryl Yates, Legislative Assistant for Congressman Cummings.

At the end I was interviewed by Baltimore City's Channel 25. I took home with me some literature and there is no question in my mind that we must build the Red Line and Bus Rapid is not going to do the job.

Please let me editorialize a little. Baltimore is a big city and we need a real transit system. We cannot continue to rely on buses and the little rail that we have. We need a system that can get thousands of people into the City for a football game, a baseball game, fireworks, or whatever, and then to get them home. Buses just can't do it.

We also need to be able to move people around the City and to do this in a timely manner. Right now I have to drive because there is no bus that goes to the Hickey School where I coach chess and there also is no bus that goes to Cathedral Gardens where we have services every week. It is unrealistic for me to expect rail services to these places, but it would be nice if I could take a train to a short distance and finish the trip by bus.

The scenery photos were taken on my way to the meeting. Had IH 83 been completed as originally planned, probably none of this beautiful scenery would be around today. The Red Line is committed to preserve such beauty.

My notes follow.

Signing Ceremony to Endorse the Red Line Community Compact

Friday 12 September 2008

Welcome

Danyell Diggs, Red Line Coordinator

Danyell started her job in late January. Her Red Line journey started 10 May 2008 at the Red Line Summit. We pledged to work as one to make the Red Line work. We had walking tours through out Baltimore.

Living Classroom Foundation helped to make this meeting possible. The MTA also played an important role.

Today we have more than 50 organizations who will sign the compact. It is a document about the words “will” and “shall.” This is not just what the MTA will do for us. It is about what the City will do also.

What does the Red Line Community Compact Mean to Me?

Arlene Fisher, Lafayette Square Association

[4994] She remembers the “Road to Nowhere.” She was suspicious and skeptical. She asked questions every ten minutes. The Red Line people answered the questions of the community and spoke with the community and understood what they community went through. The Red Line management sent people out to help the community. How will we put our community around the Red Line? How will they employ the people living there? Now we are calling it the “Highway to Somewhere.” We hope that it will be the “Highway to West Baltimore.” We hope to have a sign saying “West Baltimore.”

There is a letter signed by 14 neighborhoods in West Baltimore sayiang that they are in favor of the concept.

Will Backstrom, Baltimore Heritage, Inc.

[4896] He is wearing his blue suit in support of the Blue Line [currently the Light Rail]. This location was going to be a highway. The Red Line can preserve historical buildings and provide economic development. There are 70 neighborhoods in Baltimore with historical buildings.

Mel Freeman, CPHA

[4997] Compact – ______ [prSi] and innovative way. We don’t believe an agreement like this has ever been crafted before.

Mati Baker, Bluford Drew Jemison Academy

If he were to choose one word, it would be “promise,” but not empty promise. It is time that the Red Line compact bring promises to Baltimore City. Two heads are better than one. What better partnership than the MTA and the City of Baltimore to get this project underway? Not only will the Red Line exist, but we will be on our way to making it green.

[5011, Kevin Parsons, principal of the Bluford Drew Jemison Academy].

Remarks

Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon

It is not over. She acknowledge Dannyell for pulling all these groups together. Otis Redding, president of the Central Maryland Transit Alliance.

Yesterday she ran with her colleagues during the 9-11 run. She was going to be moving from place to place today but she injured her thigh yesterday.

George Washington Carver encourages others to listen carefully when walking through woodland because the trees and brushes speak the voice of God. The Red Line is a huge opportunity to put Baltimore to work. We have to make the project more than about transportation. We still have communities to walk through. Emerson Village in her neighborhood was the last group that they walked through.

She also offered thanks to the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Administration. It is through the Department of Transportation that we can make this happen. The opportunities are limitless if we are creative and aggressive.

It will take a lot of federal funds and we are competing with toher cities to make it happen.

Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari

I’m not only following Mati, but I’m also following the Mayor. The only thing that I can do is to be brief.

We are 100% committed to the Red Line. It is moving ahead full speed.

By what it will continue to move ahead full speed is through this compact.

Every station has to be the living room of the community, not just a stop. The Red Line will be our first step in building a transit system in Baltimore. You have a strong MTA team starting with Paul Wiedefeld. Lorenzo Brown has been working on this project all along. This compact is not just a piece of paper. It is a living, breathing document. We will keep this project going. We will get it done. Arlene, we will turn that “Road to Nowhere” to a “Road to Somewhere.”