Crime, not design, holds back Harborplace

Why do we continue to avoid discussing the real problem facing Harborplace (“Baltimore’s Inner Harbor redevelopment: Too important to fail,” Sept. 26)?

It’s not the type of buildings, type of vendors or the ability to get there easily but from the suburbs. The real threat is crime! No one will go to Harborplace if they fear for their safety.

— Cres Mills, Taneytown

We can make Baltimore a post-automobile city

As a non-driver who lives in the city, it was with bittersweet schadenfreude that I watched so many people become so deeply upset about the traffic situation after a day of multiple, well-publicized and major events. It was one of the busiest days in the city, likely the busiest of the year.

And yet, even though we were all forewarned of the massive crowds and street closures from transportation officials who communicate extensively on a variety of platforms about everything that’s going on, as well as common sense, there was still an incredible amount of traffic (“Saturday’s downtown gridlock a wake-up call for Baltimore drivers,” Oct. 10).

Yet, for many of us, the traffic in the cities caused by needless over-reliance on automobiles is something we have to live with no matter what.

My almost-daily “passeggiata,” or leisurely stroll — the best way for me to clear my head after a mentally taxing work day — is loudly and grotesquely interrupted during the weekdays by the crush of automobiles eager to get onto Interstate 83 to head home to their suburban lifestyle.

It is a constant reminder of how this city, state and country continue to prioritize those who choose to drive and occupy excessive space.

Highways and elevated arterials divide our neighborhoods and our communities, increase the risk of our children getting asthma and other respiratory diseases, massively contribute to noise pollution, incentivize behaviors that worsen climate change and environmental degradation, and are risky for those of us who do not drive and are reliant on human-scaled mobility or public transportation.

The impacts of these, of course, are amplified by existing structural inequalities along race, disability, gender and class lines.

It is paramount that the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland recognize the fact that overdependence on cars has dramatically worsened the city. Steps must be taken to improve human-scaled mobility such as improving and widening sidewalks, created protected mobility lanes and investing heavily in bike-share infrastructure.

At the same time, we must improve the light rail’s railcars and build the Red Line, and complement those with dedicated, protected bus lanes for our bus network and additional bus lanes, which is comprehensive in routes but severely lacking in frequency and capacity.

The transportation system in Baltimore is quite flawed, but the bones of a fantastic system absolutely exist.

We can make Baltimore a city of human-scaled mobility, of comprehensive public transport and of safe, accessible streets. Baltimore is relatively compact, affordable and more climate resilient than many of our East Coast and Southern cities.

It should lean into those advantages to create a true “car-lite” or even post-automobile city that remains competitive and accessible to those who are car-free but need to live somewhere affordable.

— Isaac Leal, Baltimore

I plan to pass out ‘hug a lawyer’ bumper stickers

Well, The Baltimore Sun writes one editorial critical of lawyers, and it was like punching a hornets nest.

Several letters came from lawyers claiming they are being criticized for getting rich off the Catholic Church scandal reparation payments (“Sun’s criticism of lawyers was shameful, irresponsible,” Oct. 6).

And yet, in the long run, they will. It would be interesting to see for every dollar the victim gets how many more the lawyers get. They will probably shield that information like the church shields its assets.

If they were so sensitive to the victims and their pain, they would work “pro bono” like the Salvation Army and other agencies in a national disaster. And believe me, this is a national disaster for Catholics.

I just ordered 10,000 “I love lawyers” and “Hug a lawyer today” bumper stickers. I plan to hand them out at mass. Hopefully, in a week or two, “lawyer love” will spread throughout the land and encourage lawyers to represent these victims free of charge.

This would allow the full amount of damages to go to the victims of the abuse. Lawyers, what do you think?

— Stas Chrzanowski, Baltimore