Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets Design Effort
Complete Streets are streets designed and operated to be safe and accessible for all, including pedestrians, transit users, wheelchair riders, and people who rely on bicycles and e-scooters to get to work, school, and family. Each complete street is different and based on the needs of the surrounding residents and neighborhood. In 2018 Baltimore City passed the most equitable Complete Streets legislation in the country. For the first time residents around Druid Hill Park can now benefit from this people-first approach to planning.
In early 2021 the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) and consultants WSP launched the community input phase of the “Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets” design effort to restore park access for all residents and redesign the highways around the park as neighborhood boulevards serving all residents. The study addresses park access around the entire park, including Druid Park Lake Drive, Auchentoroly Terrace, Reisterstown Road, and Druid Park Drive. BCDOT aims to identify areas where improvements are needed to make safer connections for pedestrians and bicyclists, develop traffic calming methods, reimagine the corridor with elements of a landscaped boulevard, and consider new circulation patterns to highlight the neighborhoods’ historical relevance. Recognizing that over the years there have been multiple plans and studies for the park and the surrounding area, BCDOT is building on existing material to develop a plan for Druid Park Lake Drive and Auchentoroly Terrace.
In the course of conducting the study, BCDOT and WSP conducted interviews with numerous local resident leaders, held pop-up events in Druid Hill Park and surrounding neighborhoods, canvassed locals via a paper survey distributed at all surrounding homes within the project area, help three virtual public meetings addended by hundreds of residents, and distributed and print and online survey that was completed by nearly 1000 participants.
In March 2022 BCDOT and WSP released the Druid Park Lake Drive Complete Streets Design Effort Study Report. This report identifies the current transportation challenges faced by pedestrians, transit users, wheelchair riders, and bike/scooter riders; summarizes project aims, documents the extensive public input collected, and present three design alternatives: a four lane options, a 2 lane option, and a hybrid 3 lane option. Click here to view the full report on BCDOT’s website and submit any additional comments by April 15, 2022.
BDOT are seeking the insight of the community: Of high priority are the voices of residents living in the neighborhoods along Druid Park Lake Drive, Auchentoroly Terrace, and Druid Park Drive.
Examples of Completes Streets
The following complete streets example illustrations are provided courtesy of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guide.
Preliminary design options for transforming Druid Park Lake Drive and Auchentoroly Terrace into complete streets were developed by DOT based on community input and published in March 2022. Click here to see their report. The next step is for DOT to restart public engagement and then advance one of the plans for funding and eventual construction.
Urban Boulevard with Bus Lanes
This example of a complete street urban boulevard features wide, ADA/wheelchair accessible sidewalks with benches, center running bus lanes with shelters, protected mobility-lanes for bicycles and e-scooters, four car travel lanes with on-street parking, beautifying landscaping, shade trees, and historic-style street lamps.
Residential Boulevard with Shared-Use Median
This example of a complete street residential boulevard features wide, ADA accessible sidewalks, a center-running shared-use path for pedestrians and wheelchair riders framed by raised bicycle/e-scooter lanes, car travel lanes with on-street parking, beautifying landscaping, shade trees, and historic-style street lamps.
One-Way Street with Curb-Extensions
This example of a smaller, one-way complete street intersection features curb extensions (also known as bumpouts or bulb-outs) that improve street crossing safety for pedestrians and wheelchair riders by shortening the crosswalk distance and enhancing visibility with oncoming motorists. In addition, the street includes a mobility lane for bicycles and e-scooters, a safe-speed car lane, beautifying landscaping, shade trees, and historic-style street lamps.