RISE Baltimore Begins Implementation
Monday, April 28, 2025
Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore City Department of Transportation Director Veronica P. McBeth announced that the Inner Harbor Intersection Improvement Project along Pratt Street will begin in mid-May.
"This intersection improvement project along Pratt Street will contribute to a more accessible and inviting downtown environment that aligns with Baltimore's broader vision for safe urban mobility," said Mayor Scott. "Significant change is happening across downtown - including the reimagining of Harborplace and the investments driven by our Downtown Rise program. To meet this moment, my administration is committed to building a Downtown that is thriving, safe, and prioritizes the pedestrian experience to welcome residents and visitors alike every single day."
The Inner Harbor Intersection Improvement Project will enhance pedestrian safety, accessibility, and overall mobility along Pratt Street by upgrading roadway crossings at key intersections. The project extends along Pratt Street from Light to President Streets, with improvements being done at the intersections of Light, Calvert and President Streets.
This early project comes directly on the heels of the development and release of Baltimore RISE, a high-level vision plan for our beloved City’s Downtown.
Unknown Studio, in support of the Mayor’s Office, Maryland Governor’s Office, and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, led public realm planning, research, and visioning for the heart of Baltimore—approximately 8 square miles of our city which encompasses cultural and entertainment districts, stadia, higher education and institutional uses, waterfronts, historic markets, and beloved historic neighborhoods. The plan engaged with and is supported by 30+ institutions including the University of Maryland, Ravens and Orioles organizations, National Aquarium and others.
The largest proportion of any city’s public space is the street. The RISE plan explicitly and intentionally transforms this public good from an individualistic, automobile-dominated space to a thriving, inclusive, and verdant public realm. At its heart, the RISE Plan states the opportunity: Baltimore is the pre-eminent urban opportunity on the eastern seaboard, a metropolis ripe for investment, livability, and connectivity to the world at-large.
This ten-year planning document prioritizes pedestrian safety and beautiful walkability, multimodal and public transit networks, a thriving tree canopy, green space, equitable transit-oriented development, and a cohesive set of urban identities to stitch downtown into a more human-centered place. With empirical research that vibrant public spaces improve wellness, equity, safety, economic vibrancy, and violence reduction, the team prioritized complete streets and sustainable green infrastructure.
In alignment with other plans including the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Baltimore Together Strategic Plan, and the Greater Baltimore Committee’s 10-Year Strategy, Unknown Studio provided leadership and expertise around all aspects of the public realm: transit corridor alignments and adjacencies, robust materiality for streetscapes, pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures, living and green infrastructure (canopy, soil volumes, stormwater management), and amenities, which taken together, comprise the very life of Downtown.
For more information see:
https://www.unknownstudio.la/projects/baltimore-rise
