Proposed cuts to public transit

OUR AREA RELY ON PUBLICTRANSPORTATION.

NOW, THERE'SGOING TO BE SOME MAJOR CHANGESTO THOSE SERVICES ..

SEVERALBUS ROUTES -CUT SEVERALOTHERS- GETTING SERVICE*REDUCED..

WMAR-2 NEWS ERINMACPHERSON JOINS US LIVE FROMA BUSY BUS STOP IN NORTHWESTBALTIMORE WITH SOME DETAILS ONWHY THE MTA SAYS IT NEEDSDO THIS.

ERIN?PUT SIMPLY, COVID.

MTAMARYLAND SAYS IT JUST CAN'TKEEP UP - LESS PEOPLE ARETAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIONBECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC AND THEY'RE LOSINFUNDING.

JUST YESTERDAY,GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN PROPOSEDTO TAKE AWAY MILLIONS FROM MTAAS THE STATE DEALS WITHBILLIONS IN BUDGET CUTS.

RIGHTNOW, THEY PLAN ON GETTING RIDOF 25 BUS ROUTES AND REDUCINGSERVICES TO 12 OTHERS.

PART OFTHE 25, ARE THE ARE THE NINEEXPRESS ROUTES WHICH PROVIDESERVICE BETWEEN THE SUBURBSAND THE CITY.

MTA MARYLANDSAYS THE OTHER 16 LOCAL LINKROUTES HAVE A LOWER AMOUNT OFRIDERS AND ARE EASILYACCESSIBLE BY ANOTHER ROUTE.THEY SAY THESE CHANGES FOCUSON CONNECTING BALTIMORE CITYWITH MAJOR JOB CENTERS ANDHAVING FEWER SUBURBAN ROUTESIN BALTIMORE AND ANNE ARUNDELCOUNTIES.

LEADERS FROM BOTHCOUNTIES AND BALTIMORE CITYSTRESSED THERE DISSAPOINTMENTWITH THESE CHANGES - SAYINGIT'S GOING TO NEGATIVELYIMPACT STUDENTS, ESSENTIALWORKERS AND FAMLY WHO USEPUBLIC TRANSPORTATIONREGULARLY.

THEY PLAN ONSPEAKING AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTHEARINGS -- SLATED FOROCTOBER.

THERE ARE TEN VIRTUALHEARINGS BETWEEN OCTOBER FIFTHAND SIXTEENTH -- WE HAVE THEDATES AND LOCATIONS ON OURWEBSITE.

THEN THERE WILL BE A30 DAY REVIEW PERIOD UNTILNOVEMBER 15TH AND NO CHANGESWILL BE IMPLEMENTED UNTILJANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.

LIVE -EMAC.WHAT'S LEFT OF BALTIMORECITY'S CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUSSTATUE IS EXPECTED TO BERETURNED TO ITS ORI