By Scott Dance
The Baltimore Sun
A project pouring nearly $13 million into a three-quarter-mile stretch of North Avenue is scheduled to start this month, an effort a decade in the making that local politicians trumpeted as a means to lure investment to the downtrodden corridor.
Between Aisquith and Washington streets over the next two years, crews will repave the beat-up roadway, install brick sidewalks and fresh curb cuts for handicapped access, and replace traffic signals and underground infrastructure. For now, the sidewalks are cracked and strewn with trash, and the blacktop is bumpy and pockmarked.
At a ceremony during which a church choir sang, a brass band played and politicians spoke, community leaders said they have worked for years to secure the investment, which includes $4 million in federal spending alongside city money. They are counting on the beautification to attract new residents and businesses and communicate respect for those already there, helping to put the surrounding neighborhoods on the same economic footing as more affluent parts of the city.
“This project ought to be normal,” Rep. Elijah Cummings said, contrasting the neglect of the corridor with more manicured upkeep in other parts of the city. “We ought to expect for this 11 blocks to look like Federal Hill.”