Delegate calls proposal to put light rail tracks down the middle of York Road 'horrible'

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A state delegate is speaking out against a proposal to expand public transportation between Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

The proposed North-South corridor from the Maryland Transit Authority offers seven alternatives to expand transit between the city and the Towson Lutherville area.

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There’s the possibility of bus, light rail, or heavy rail transit; most using to use the busy York Road corridor.

Opponents in Lutherville started a petition and have posted Save Suburbia signs in their yards.

“The development proposals, the transportation proposals that would try to make this area more urban is not something that we really signed on for when we bought our houses,” said Eric Rockel, President of the Greater Timonium Community Council (GTCC).

Advocates said the Baltimore region is in need of something just like this.

“Making our regional public transportation network faster and more reliable will make Baltimore County and the whole region a better place to live,” said Brian O’Malley, President and CEO of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance (CMTA).

A new voice is expressing concern now, as State delegate Nino Mangione is calling the proposal a horrible idea with no redeeming value.

“It would completely disrupt the integrity of the community and the neighborhoods, and it would disrupt the commerce of local businesses and changes the character of the region in a matter citizens don’t want,” he said.

Mangione even introduced a bill that would require any transportation project that costs over a certain amount be submitted to referendum, giving voters the chance to weigh in at the ballot box.

“We’ll leave this up to the people and the people will decide,” Mangione said.

Public feedback was solicited last year for this project, but Mangione said it’s not enough when it comes to such a large project and people deserve more of a voice.

“Communities deserve a voice in any major transit project that’s going to disrupt their community, and public meetings are obviously important, but they’re not enough indication of citizen opinion,” he said.

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The state will eventually need to name one preferred route, but they still need to secure funding, among other things, and any plans design and construction is still more than three years away.

We reached out to the Maryland Department of Transportation for comment on the proposed legislation but did not receive a statement.