Trash and bottles litter Federal Hill after Halloween as residents push for action

FEDERAL HILL (WBFF) — Trash and liquor bottles were left scattered across parts of Federal Hill after Halloween night, as people were seen cleaning up the neighborhood Sunday morning.

The cleanup comes as Federal Hill continues to draw attention for late-night crowds and safety concerns.

Trash and bottles litter Federal Hill after Halloween as residents push for action (WBFF)

A summer city initiative expanded security measures in the area and enforced open-container laws, but it ended on Labor Day.

A September shooting that wounded two people also renewed questions about how Baltimore polices its busy entertainment districts.

In addition to gun violence, Federal Hill residents say dangerous driving remains a threat. Early Saturday morning, a car ran down Warren Avenue at high speed, crashed through a brand new fence and landed at the bottom of Covington. Stephen Topping, a neighbor, said, “We believe it was around 3:18 this morning that a vehicle came up Warren Avenue … at probably a high rate of speed through the fencing that was just completed on the hill.” He remembered a similar crash on Halloween two years ago.

Residents have warned city leaders about reckless driving since 2023 and have even produced their own traffic studies. Topping said city officials have not answered those calls. “We’ve been trying to bring to the attention of the city leadership the fact that we have a massive problem with traffic in the neighborhood,” he said. “We’ve had no response,” said Topping.

Steven Rosenthal, who has lived in Federal Hill for more than a decade, said the situation makes it hard to live in the area. “It just sometimes makes it uninhabitable,” Rosenthal said. He explained that residents are frustrated with the lack of action.