Waterfront Partnership unveils plan for Baltimore Blueway water trail network

Waterfront Partnership joined Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello, representatives from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and others at Rash Field Park on Thursday to unveil the master plan for the Baltimore Blueway, a proposed network of eight water trails and 20 access points for paddlers that will connect cultural, historic and natural sites throughout Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Middle Branch.

The Baltimore Blueway launch comes after a coordinated effort led by government, nonprofit and business leaders, under the banner of the Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative, to make the harbor water significantly cleaner today than it has been for decades after leaking sewers and industrial pollution made water quality a recognized risk.

The plan marks the end of a yearlong planning phase led by Biohabitats, a Baltimore-based environmental consulting company, that included gathering community input from a Project Advisory team, a public input event and a survey. Included in the plan is a proposed network of eight water trails, the hiking equivalent of a hiking trail or “greenway,” made up of interconnected access points and rest stops weaved throughout the Inner Harbor and Middle Branch.

The trails span a range of settings, from the urban energy of the Inner Harbor to wildlife viewing along the Patapsco River. The trails serve a variety of skill levels and proposed enhancements prioritize increased accessibility and safety with public kayak launches, signage, rental facilities and more.

Waterfront Partnership also announced $125,000 in funding from the Baltimore Tourism Improvement District for the addition of a priority access point in the Inner Harbor. The new kayak launch will open next spring at the promenade adjacent to Rash Field Park.

The plan was funded by the Abell Foundation, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, Baltimore National Heritage Area and Waterfront Partnership.

The full Baltimore Blueway plan can be viewed online at baltimoreblueway.org.