OCEAN CITY, Md. - The future of Baltimore Avenue takes a key step Tuesday as the Ocean City Council considers whether to declare portions of the street’s right of way no longer needed for public use. The move would allow excess land along the stretch of Baltimore Avenue to be turned over to adjacent property owners, clearing the way for the long-awaited Baltimore Avenue Improvement Project.
Ocean City Council to decide on Baltimore Avenue right of way.
According to the Ocean City agenda, the future project will move utility lines underground, widen sidewalks by five feet on both sides, add fire hydrants along the east side, and repave the roadway from North Division Street to 15th Street.
According to the Ocean City agenda, the future project will move utility lines underground.
Kevin Moore, who has lived near Baltimore Avenue for years and serves on the board of a 37-unit condominium complex, said he’s eager to see the changes.
“This project came up a couple of years ago, we were invited down to City Hall to see the drawings,” Moore said. “I approve of what they’re going to do.”
City Manager Terry McGean explained that widening the sidewalks will rely on land already owned by the town in its right of way, which sometimes appears to be private property but is not.
“If you go up to Seventh Street, you’ll see there’s a fairly new condominium there, and you’ll see this huge landscape in front,” McGean said. “That’s primarily unimproved right of way. Although it may appear to be private property, it’s not.”
City Manager Terry McGean explained that widening the sidewalks will rely on land already owned by the town in its right of way, which sometimes appears to be private property but is not.
Officials will discuss on Tuesday if the unused land has any future public use before it can be turned over to property owners.
“We don’t believe there’s really any future use for that right of way,” said McGean. “So let’s allow the property owners to put it to good use.”
While the project is still in the early stages, McGean says construction could begin as early as October 2027.