# Subtitle 18 – Grades, Grading, and Paving

Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.

## § 18-1 Fixing grade line - on application.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-1 (2026)

(a) Upon application in writing to the Director of Transportation by the owner of any property binding upon any private or public street, lane, or alley, or part thereof, now or hereafter to be marked, located, widened, straightened, or laid out in the City of Baltimore, for the fixing and establishing, or changing, as the case may be, of the grade line or lines of that street, lane, or alley, or part thereof, the Director of Transportation shall, provided in his judgment the public interests require the grade line or lines to be fixed and established or changed, proceed to fix and establish, or change, as the case may be, the grade line or lines of the street, lane or alley, or part thereof.

(b) The Director of Transportation shall fix and determine the cost of establishing or changing the grade line or lines, which cost shall be paid in advance to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore by the person or persons applying for the establishment or change.

*History: Ord. 1874-044*

*History: Ord. 04-116*

*History: Ord. 27-1139*

*History: Ord. 48-507*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-2 Fixing grade line - Director’s initiative.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-2 (2026)

(a) Whenever the Director of Transportation determines that the public interests require the fixing, establishing, or changing of the grade line or lines of any private or public street, lane, or alley, or part thereof, in the City of Baltimore, the Director shall proceed to fix and establish, or to change, as the case may be, the grade line or lines of all such streets, lanes, or alleys, or parts thereof.

(b) The cost of so fixing and establishing or changing the grade line or lines shall be paid out of the appropriation allowed the Department of Transportation for the purpose.

*History: Ord. 1888-058*

*History: Ord. 1888-105*

*History: Ord. 1889-033*

*History: Ord. 04-116*

*History: Ord. 27-1139*

*History: Ord. 48-507*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-3 Fixing grade line - notice.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-3 (2026)

Before fixing and establishing, or changing, as the case may be, the grade line or lines of any private or public street, lane, or alley, or part thereof, in the City of Baltimore, the Director of Transportation shall give 5 days’ notice, in 2 daily papers published in the City of Baltimore, that the Director will be available, at the time and on the day named in the notice, for the purpose of hearing and considering protests and to explain matters in connection with the fixing and establishing or changing of the grade line or lines of the street, lane, or alley, or part thereof, under consideration.

*History: Ord. 04-116*

*History: Ord. 26-604*

*History: Ord. 27-1139*

*History: Ord. 48-507*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-4 Fixing grade line - grade profiles.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-4 (2026)

The Director of Transportation shall prepare grade profiles, which shall be kept in the Department of Transportation as a permanent record of the grade lines fixed, established, or changed, as the case may be, in accordance with this subtitle.

*History: Ord. 04-116*

*History: Ord. 27-1139*

*History: Ord. 48-507*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-5

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-5 (2026)

Reserved

## § 18-6 Cobblestones prohibited.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-6 (2026)

From and after February 24, 1899, no contracts shall be made by the City for paving or repaving any street, avenue, lane, or alley within the limits of said City with what is known as a cobblestone pavement, nor shall any such pavement be permitted to be laid on any street, avenue, lane, or alley within the said City by any individual or corporation.

*History: Ord. 1899-165*

## § 18-7 How work done.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-7 (2026)

In all paving, repaving, grading, or repairing of streets, avenues, lanes, or alleys, including footways, where the work is done by the City, the work shall be done by contract or by labor employed by the City and paid by the City, as in the judgment of the Director of Transportation may be best for the interest of the City, in each instance.

*History: Ord. 1899-165*

*History: Ord. 48-478*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-8 Macadamizing permitted.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-8 (2026)

Nothing contained in this Code is intended to prevent macadamizing of streets, avenues, lanes or alleys in the City of Baltimore when and where macadamizing is deemed necessary or desirable by the Director of Transportation.

*History: Ord. 1899-165*

*History: Ord. 48-478*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-9 Paving without curbs permitted.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-9 (2026)

Any streets, lanes, or alleys in the City to be paved or repaved may be paved or repaved without curbs, provided the Director of Transportation considers it advisable to do so.

*History: Ord. 1874-044*

*History: Ord. 48-478*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-10 Center gutters.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-10 (2026)

In paving or repaving streets, lanes, or alleys not over 25 feet in width, the Director of Transportation may, in his discretion, put the gutter in the center of the street, lane, or alley.

*History: Ord. 1874-044*

*History: Ord. 48-478*

*History: Ord. 76-139*

*History: Ord. 15-435*

## § 18-11 “Bike-safe” grates required.

Balt., Md., Code art. 26, § 18-11 (2026)

(a) For purposes of this section “bike-safe grate” means a drainage grate that:

  (1) has bars running perpendicular to the flow of traffic;

  (2) consists of a grating composed of intersecting bars; or

  (3) uses another design that both the City and the State Departments of Transportation have approved as meeting bicycle safety design criteria as well as engineering and structural design demands.

(b) No contracts may be made by the City that include paving or repaving any street, avenue, lane, or alley within the City limits unless the contract requires that all drainage grates in the affected area that are not bike-safe grates be replaced with bike-safe grates.

(c) No permit may be issued by the Department of Transportation for a paving or repaving project on any street, avenue, lane, or alley within the City, and no paving or repaving project may be undertaken by the City, unless the project plan requires that all drainage grates in the affected area that are not bike-safe grates are replaced with bike-safe grates.

(d) This section does not apply to emergency resurfacing work that is:

  (1) required due to a utility failure; and

  (2) done in accordance with State law.

*History: Ord. 10-367*

*History: Ord. 15-435*