Ride Into History

The last time a vehicle could drive on downtown Cumberland’s Baltimore Street was before the 1978 development of a downtown mall. The downtown business community envisioned a walking mall on the three blocks of Baltimore Street, and the mall was officially opened in 1978.

On November 14, 2024, the redevelopment of a new Baltimore Street had its official grand re-opening. The project included new underground infrastructure, landscaping, wide sidewalks, limited parallel parking, and a one-way street for bicycles and cars. Although plans for the new Baltimore Street began eight years ago, the actual construction started 18 months ago, in April 2023. 

“During the early stages of the design for the street, retaining the outdoor dining element of downtown was a top priority,” commented Matt Miller, Cumberland Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) Executive Director. “It has always been a focal point of the plan.”

In support of providing funding for new outdoor furniture for the restaurants in the historic district, CEDC created a special raffle – Ride Into History. The raffle offered ten winners the chance to be the first legal riders to ride up Baltimore Street one day before the official grand opening. All monies raised went directly into funding outdoor furnishings for our downtown restaurants. 

Cumberland Times News Article
https://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/ride-into-history-vehicles-return-to-baltimore-street/article_e6cceefc-a1fa-11ef-b54f-87a5bff1d20c.html