More than three-quarters of Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents feel the Key Bridge collapse has had a significant impact on life in the Baltimore metropolitan area, while less than half are optimistic that the bridge will be rebuilt by 2030.
A new poll from the UMBC Institute of Politics asked residents about the Key Bridge, as well as perceptions of crime, immigration enforcement, and local amenities.
Two years after a cargo ship toppled the Key Bridge, the loss has had a “great deal” or “some” impact on Baltimore-area life according to 76% of Baltimore City residents and 84% of Baltimore County residents. Meanwhile, 16% of those in the city and 11% in the county said the bridge’s loss had impacted life “not at all” or “a little.”
The perceived impact of the bridge collapse has faded slightly from a year ago, when 79% of city residents and 89% of county residents said it had had a “great deal” or “some” impact on life in the region.
Maryland officials on Tuesday canceled a construction contract with Kiewit Infrastructure Co., forcing the state to find a new builder for the project’s second phase.
The UMBC poll was conducted a week and a half to two weeks before Tuesday’s news. But even then, Marylanders were divided on how confident they are whether the bridge will be rebuilt by the start of the next decade.
In Baltimore City, 44% of residents were “not at all” or “a little” confident that the bridge will be rebuilt by 2030, while 47% were “somewhat” or “very” confident that it will be finished by that time.
Baltimore County residents were even less optimistic, with 55% saying they were “not at all” or “a little” confident and 42% saying they were “somewhat” or “very” confident that the region would get a new Key Bridge by 2030.
A plurality of residents in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County saw little change in crime in their neighborhoods.
Forty-four percent of Baltimore City residents said there is about the same amount of crime in their neighborhood, while 27% said there is less crime and 21% said there is more crime.
In Baltimore County, 48% of residents said there is about the same amount of crime, 15% said there is less crime, and 30% said there is more crime in their neighborhood.
In both jurisdictions, a majority of residents feel safe walking around their neighborhood after dark, including 52% of Baltimore City residents who feel safe and 67% of Baltimore County residents.
Pollsters also asked Baltimore City residents what they credited most for declining violent crime in recent years.
They were mixed in their responses, with 21% attributing the decrease to community-based intervention and violence prevention programs for high-risk groups and individuals; 12% gave credit to tougher sentences for gun crimes and repeat offenders, prosecuting lower-level quality-of-life crimes, and diverting non-violent offenders into programs where they could receive supervision; and 44% said it was a combination of both.
Three-fifths of Baltimore County residents and nearly half of Baltimore City residents reported they had never personally seen an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in their jurisdiction since 2026 began.
Nearly one-fifth of county residents and almost one-third of city residents had seen an ICE officer at least once a month.
Asked what amenities, businesses or other factors would make Baltimore City’s downtown area near the Inner Harbor a better place to visit or work, 21% of city residents didn’t have an answer.
But among those who did offer an opinion, nearly one-quarter highlighted the need to improve public safety.
Other suggested improvements included expanding business development, retail, and dining (an opinion offered by 16% of respondents); improving parking, transportation, and infrastructure (10%); expanding entertainment, events, and activities (4%); improving physical upkeep and cleanliness (4%); adding more green space, parks, and public spaces (3%); and increasing affordable housing and residential development (2%).
Three-quarters of Baltimore County residents said they have visited at least one of the county’s parks, playgrounds, recreation, and community centers in the past year, while almost one-quarter said they hadn’t visited them at all in the last 12 months.
Asked to rank their interest in various recreational opportunities, the type that garnered the highest interest from the greatest percentage of county residents was outdoor and nature recreational spaces like parks or trails. More than two-thirds (67%) of residents indicated they were “very” or “extremely” interested in those opportunities.
Other recreational opportunities included: community and recreational centers (51% ranked their interest high for this); arts, culture, and historical programs and sites (48%); youth and family programming (44%); athletic courts and fields (44%); agricultural and environmental education (44%); and boating, sailing, fishing, and other waterfront facilities (42%).
The top amenities, services, or activities that Baltimore County residents said would make them more likely to visit our use facilities managed by the county’s recreation and parks department or participate in their programming were: programs, events, and activities (17% of residents’ responses were categorized in this grouping). Residents also indicated safety, cleanliness, and maintenance were important to them (9% of responses), as well as facilities and infrastructure (7%).
In a UMBC poll released last week, pollsters asked Marylanders about the frequency of their visits to state parks, forests, and other public lands, as well as what they enjoy doing there and what they would like to experience at those sites.
The UMBC Poll surveyed 666 Baltimore City residents and 602 Baltimore County residents from April 14 to April 19.
There is a 95% probability that the survey results for the sample of 666 Baltimore City residents have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8%.
There is a 95% probability that the survey results for the sample of 602 Baltimore County residents have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0%.
