West Baltimore United: A Plan to Reconnect Communities

In the 19^th and 20^th century, Old West Baltimore was the embodiment of a close-knit community.  Neighbors sat on their porches and laughed with those who strolled the sidewalks. Old West Baltimore was community with dynamic streetscapes full of Black business owners and homeowners. Booker. T Washington, a leading Black educator of the 19^th century, once said [there was] “no city in the United States where the colored people own so many comfortable and attractive homes.” 

Between 1942 and 1957, nine separate plans for a city-wide freeway were developed.  The plan was originally conceived as a way to connect Interstate 70 coming from the west with Interstate 95.  This could potentially be a pathway forward for Baltimore, connecting the City to the heart of the interstate system.  The project was abruptly halted – in midstream – citing potential environmental concerns.  In its wake, there is a trench in the heart of west Baltimore that continues to evoke frustration and anger in the hearts of the residents who watched their prosperity sink into a sea of concrete roadways.

In the past 40 years, there have been multiple planning studies to rectify this lone fragment of highway running through West Baltimore.  These past transportation projects have made promises that weren't deliver on, and West Baltimore residents are now weary of planning without tangible results. Baltimore City is committed to finally deliver benefits and build back a collaborative partnership with the people of West Baltimore with the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program.

Do you have a story to share about West Baltimore? Please add your own story about neighborhood history, family stories, cultural landmarks, and special events. Thank you for sharing with us.