A year after reviving the Red Line, Maryland officials announced it will proceed as a light rail project. It will connect the Baltimore region from east to west, nixing a previous proposal for rapid buses.

“Today, we proudly announce that the new Baltimore Red Line will run on light rail transit,” said Gov. Wes Moore to applause, at Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus, slated as the easternmost stop. Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, Mayor Brandon Scott, County Executive Johnny Olszewski and state transportation officials joined in the announcement, at a Friday news conference.

In a Thursday post on X, Moore attributed the decision to community input.

“People know the difficulty — particularly by transit — of east to west movement in the city,” added Paul Wiedefeld, the state’s Secretary of Transportation. “It's needed today, just as importantly, it's needed for the future. That's what this is about. It's about the future of Baltimore City and the Baltimore region, because it supports everything that we're trying to achieve here, not just in mobility, but economic growth, environmental equity.”

Officials did not discuss the specific cost of the project or the exact route, though analysts estimate it will cost between $5.9-7.2 billion. Wiedefeld, mentioned that all funding options are on the table. He said it could be a mix of 50% federal and 50% local municipalities.

Former Governor Larry Hogan (R) canceled the Red Line in 2014 after a decade of planning, forfeiting $900 million in federal funds. Instead, he redirected $736 million in state funds to roads in primarily suburban areas with predominantly white populations. Hogan — now the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Maryland — called it a “boondoggle” and cited the nearly $3 billion price tag as his reason for canceling the plan.

“He decided that the people here didn't need this project, because, in his eyes, the people here didn't matter,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “He thought that it wasn't worthwhile for people to easily get across town, or there was no reason for residents and county residents to more easily enjoy all the great things that Baltimore City has to offer. And just because he thought that, all of us paid the price. “

Officials including Johns Hopkins leadership, wore red to symbolize support for the transit line.

Earlier this month, mathematicians at JHU released a study indicating that the 14-mile ride from Woodlawn could take 48-minutes, connecting low income residents to job centers. Secretary Wiedefeld predicted a four-year timeline to get shovels in the ground.

“It's very aggressive,” said Wiedefeld. “We have a lot of work to do.”