The era of construction in Charles Village is over. City officials marked the end of the three-year project on Charles Street on Tuesday.
As any driver can tell you, the $28 million project covered the area between 25th St. and University Parkway. The improvements are designed to make the area around Johns Hopkins’ Homewood campus more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Along with new pavement, the project added new sidewalks with ADA-compliant ramps, and wider pedestrian crossings. Bike lanes were also added. There’s also an art plaza called “Optical Gardens,” funded through a city program that requires one percent of a public works project go toward public art.
So, as you breeze through your drive on Charles St., remember how easy it is for bikers and pedestrians to move through the area, as well.
The planners forgot that there is increased automobile and (especially) bus traffic that is merged into one lane. That isn’t very smart,