The assessment of existing conditions and the proposed landscape designs for the five focus Metro stations (Old Court, Milford Mill, Rogers Avenue, West Cold Spring, and Lexington Market) offers a comprehensive vision for enhancing the transit environment and improving the overall commuter experience. Through a detailed evaluation of each station’s current condition, Floura Teeter identified key opportunities for improvement, addressing concerns such as accessibility, aesthetics, and environmental sustainability.
The proposed landscape designs aim not only to beautify the stations but also to create functional, welcoming spaces that serve the diverse needs of commuters. The vision is to transform these Metro stations into vibrant hubs that promote community engagement and pride. These designs align with the city and county’s long-term goals for sustainable urban development and contribute to the overall improvement of the Baltimore metro area’s public transit infrastructure.
Old Court Station
Old Court Station, located in Lochearn Maryland, is the second most Northern and Western station on the Baltimore Metro SubwayLink line. It’s defining characteristic is a large, raised walkway over Gwynns Falls providing pedestrian access between the station and the commuter lot. This walkway provides views both to the station itself, the natural forested areas around Gwynns Falls, and to a large sculptural art piece located in a lawn.
Milford Mill Station
The Millford Mill station, located in Pikesville, MD, is the third inbound station on the Metro SubwayLink line. The metro entrance is centered on a large vehicular drop-off loop and commuter lot with two additional parking lots, to the north and south, respectively. The station and track are raised above the entrance level and provide a view out over the lots and residential neighborhoods beyond.
Rogers Avenue Station
The Rogers Avenue station is located in the Woodmere neighborhood of Baltimore City and is the fifth inbound station on the Metro SubwayLink line. The station is the connecting point for a large number of bus lines and is the closest station to the historic Pimlico Race Course. The station, parking, and access are located at different elevations leading to opportunities and constraints. The station itself is raised, positioned above and between an ADA parking lot and drop-off loop, an upper lot, and a lower lot across Rogers Avenue. Pedestrians enter the station from multiple directions, therefore, the arrival sequence, user experience, and viewsheds will be incredibly important when proposing landscape improvements. Wayfinding will also be considered to prevent confusion.
West Cold Spring
Station
The West Cold Spring Station is located in the Arlington neighborhood of Baltimore City, and is the sixth inbound station in the Metrolink Subway Line. The station is raised above a ground floor open gathering space and is supported by a vehicular drop-off loop and a single commuter lot. The Metro line at this location parallels the CSX tracks which are visible from both above and below the station. A large sculptural element is located within the drop-off loop.
Lexington Market
Station
The Lexington Market Station, the fourth outbound station on the SubwayLink Metro line, is located in downtown Baltimore City across from the historic Lexington Market. A central transportation hub for bus routes and pedestrian connections to local businesses, this station is densely populated and surrounded by urban development. It is also a transfer station to the Light RailLink system. The station has two entrances, one on Saratoga Street, and a second entrance on Lexington Street.
The Lexington Street entrance is characterized by its extreme verticality; the station entrance is accessed at a lower level than the surrounding streets. The station exterior is designed to move riders between levels with a main staircase, escalator, and a shade structure to provide shelter. The perimeter of the station exterior is a series of tiered planter boxes, an architectural feature design to soften what would otherwise be an imposing surround.
