Baltimore City, County residents share thoughts on cost of living, impacts of Key Bridge collapse
Baltimore City and County residents shared their thoughts on the cost of living and the impacts of the 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in their communities in a recent poll by UMBC.
The university surveyed 642 Baltimore City residents and 628 Baltimore County residents between April 1 and April 6, questioning them on a range of topics, including their quality of life and opportunities for recreation.
Impacts of the Key Bridge collapse
It's been a little over a year since the container ship DALI collided with Baltimore's Key Bridge, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.
UMBC's survey found that 89% of Baltimore County residents and 79% of Baltimore City residents reported that the loss of the Key Bridge continues to have a significant impact on life in the Baltimore area one year later.
The Key Bridge collapse on March 26, 2024, impacted almost all of the Baltimore region, as some businesses saw drops in traffic and limited access to the Port of Baltimore caused supply chain delays.
A report by Johns Hopkins University found that nearly half of Baltimore-area residents continued to see impacts for months after the loss of the Key Bridge.
According to Johns Hopkins University, some residents reported that it was harder to visit family, get to work or run errands after the bridge collapse.
Cost of living in the Baltimore region
UMBC also questioned Baltimore-area residents on the cost of living.
According to the survey, 50% of Baltimore City residents believe that the city is more expensive, while 45% of Baltimore County residents think the county is a more expensive place to live.
On the other hand, 32% of city residents think the county has a higher cost of living, and 41% of county residents think the cost of living is higher in the city.
The survey also found that 41% of Baltimore City residents think the city is headed in the right direction, and 65% of residents said they can never or sometimes trust their local government.
According to the survey, 34% of Baltimore County residents think the county is headed in the right direction, while 60% of residents say they can never or sometimes trust their local government.
Visiting the Baltimore area for recreation
UMBC's poll also questioned city and county residents about how they spend recreational time in their communities.
About 37% of Baltimore City residents said they almost never spend leisure time in the county, and 52% of county residents said they almost never spend leisure time in the city.
When asked how the county could encourage city residents to visit more often, 18% of respondents cited improvements to the recreational and leisure activities, and 7% suggested improving transportation and accessibility.
The poll also asked what would encourage county residents to visit the city more often, and 42% suggested improving public safety, while 10% suggested improving recreational and leisure activities.
