Baltimore residents blast city plan to shrink Dukeland Street, citing lack of input

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — West Baltimore residents unleashed their frustration at a community meeting Monday night after learning the city plans to redesign Dukeland Street with little community input.

The city’s proposal would shrink Dukeland Street from four lanes to two, add a parking lane and a bike lane. City transportation officials said the redesign is focused on safety.

“Roads are for transportation and is supposed to get everyone through and the way to do that is do this as safely as possible,” a city representative said.

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But residents questioned why the city is pressing to build bike lanes in a community where, they insist, few people bike.

“It seems as though there’s this mentality if you build it they will come, but the thing is they’re not coming cause you’ve built it. They’re not coming,” community leader Mary Hughes insisted.

“You have a lot of representatives in here that should be at the table with you,” one resident said.

We’re not at the table, but we’re on the plate,” Linda Batts, President of the Hanlon Improvement Association, declared.

“What we’re seeing is a city and a DOT which has gone forward blindly with political recommendations of leadership and their advocacy groups,” Dolph Drunkman, a resident, insisted.

Residents also pointed to lingering concerns from the city’s redesign of nearby Gwynns Falls Parkway two years ago, saying traffic has become clogged and emergency vehicles have been delayed. Now, there’s concern Dukeland Street could face similar problems.

“You need to stop insulting the intelligence of the people who pay your salaries and who help foster the welfare of this city,” Batts said. “We see this conversation as being unpersuasive and incomplete and what is the next step to address my concerns.”

A DOT representative responded, “I think the agency is happy to have larger conversations about your concerns.”

When the city confirms its final plan, the redesign is expected to begin next spring. Many residents predict they’ll have little impact on the final plan.

“I have to say a lot of you folks are just disingenuous,” Druckman said.