TURNER STATION, Md. — Turner Station neighbors are frustrated, saying their homes were overlooked when it comes to looking at potential impacts they may see when the Key Bridge construction begins.
"Because when y'all ask us questions and we say things, we answer it; y'all don't hear that either. So, like, when do y'all start listening to people being affected?"
VIDEO: Turner Station neighbors say voices aren't being heard about Key Bridge
That's a pressing question one resident asked officials in charge of the bridge reconstruction Monday night.
Representatives from MDOT and the Maryland Transportation Authority provided updates on the process.
Part of the pre-construction includes handing out surveys to homeowners living within a one-mile radius of the bridge.
The surveys are meant to document the possible impacts of reconstruction.
But people living in Turner Station, like Renwick Glenn, question why they were skipped over even though their homes are in that radius.
"I don't understand how they came up with the boundary. The boundaries are homeowners; they're the ones they eliminated. And all the houses they accepted are renters. So I don't know how they kind of put that together," Renwick said.
Jawauna Greene, MDOT Assistant Secretary of Transportation, didn't have clear answers for them, saying she wasn't directly involved in the boundary-making process.
So she told WMAR 2 News they will provide clarity at the next meeting.
"So what we said, we're going to bring out our experts to come and talk to the community directly about the boundaries, how they're going out and looking at the homes," she explained.
She said even then, there will be minimal impacts once construction starts.
Which is one more thing neighbors are skeptical about.
"When the bridge collapsed, it shook our homes, messed up the infrastructure. And they're talking about putting explosives and all this around here, and it's going to get worse."
Greene said there's a way neighbors can report any potential damage.
"We advise the residents if they feel like there was some damage; there's already a claimant process where they can file a claim through a separate process with the state of Maryland for any damages they think occurred to their homes."
Still, Renwick believes this illustrates a bigger problem his community faces.
"It's a Black community; they just try to—they don't give us anything. But they'll take our tax dollars."
