Orleans Street Rehabilitation

Next up:

8/24 Public Meeting

Where: Enoch Pratt Free Library Patterson Park Branch

Details: Open house beginning at 5, Presentation at 6, open house resumes after the presentation and will end at 7:30.

What is the Orleans Street Rehabilitation project?

The goal of the Orleans Street Rehabilitation project is to improve the safety, accessibility, and condition of the corridor through streetscape modifications.

The project will focus on rebuilding aging infrastructure while making the street safer and more comfortable for all users.

Where is the project located?

The project is located along Orleans Street, between N. Wolfe Street and N. Ellwood Avenue.

This corridor runs through residential neighborhoods, near schools, businesses, and community destinations, and serves as an essential east-west connection in East Baltimore.

What improvements are being considered?

Planned and potential improvements include:

• Safety improvements benefitting all street users
• Rehabilitation of the roadway and sidewalks
• Modernization of traffic signals
• ADA accessibility upgrades
• Drainage improvements
• Streetscape and aesthetic enhancements

The current layout of travel lanes, parking lanes, and sidewalks will be reviewed. Some elements may stay the same, and others may change based on engineering analysis and community feedback.

Why is this project needed?

Orleans Street is a Tier 1 road on BCDOT's 2025 High Injury Network. This means that it has much higher levels of severe crashes compared to most other roads in Baltimore and is in urgent need of safety improvements. Additionally, many elements along the street need repair or modernization to meet current safety standards, accessibility requirements, and community needs.

This project presents an opportunity to substantially improve the safety of Orleans while also making greatly needed upgrades to the roadway's aging infrastructure.

Is this a Complete Streets project?

Yes. The Orleans Street Rehabilitation project follows a Complete Streets approach. That means the street will be designed to serve people walking, biking, using mobility devices, riding transit, and driving better.

The goal is a street that works for everyone, not just one type of user.

Will the community have the opportunity to provide input?

Yes. DOT will host a public meeting for this project on 8/24 at the Patterson Park Enoch Pratt Library branch. At this meeting, community members will have the opportunity to discuss their experiences on Orleans Street, review numerous design alternatives, and submit their design preferences. The DOT project team will do further outreach at community events in September to gather input and preference on design options.

How will a design be chosen?

The DOT project team will come up with several design alternatives that meet Complete Streets requirements and safety needs. The community will be able to review these designs, provide feedback, and vote on their preferred alternative. Voting will commence at the 8/24 public meeting and continue throughout September. A design decision will be made in October based on community feedback, preference, and engineering judgment.

When will the project be constructed?

The Orleans Street Rehabilitation project is funded by federal aid, and therefore is subject to multiple rounds of state and federal review. Due to the lengthy review process, we anticipate construction beginning in 2032. However, there may be opportunity for quickbuild improvements in advance of the permanent construction.

What is the current status of the project?

The project team is currently gathering and analyzing relevant data. Once the team understands the corridor's constraints and needs, it will develop concepts to be publicly vetted beginning on 8/24 and lasting through September.

This project page will share information, collect feedback, and provide updates as decisions are made. More details about timelines, engagement opportunities, and design concepts will be added as the project progresses.