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Heavy Traffic Expected For Funeral Services For Former Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro III

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Drivers may see heavier than normal traffic along N. Calvert Street early Wednesday afternoon for the funeral service for former Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro III.

A public viewing will be held Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. The service will be at St. Ignatius Church in the 700 block of N. Calvert Street.

During these times, heavy traffic is expected on N. Calvert Street along with surrounding roadways.

Motorists should be advised that traffic delays are expected along northbound Calvert Street on Wednesday from about 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. for the funeral procession to Dulaney Valley.

D'Alesandro, who served one term as mayor from 1967 to 1971, died over the weekend from complications caused by a stroke. He was 90 years old.

He was the oldest brother of current U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and was often by her side during dedication ceremonies and her swearing-in as Democratic house leader.

One of his key appointments as mayor was that of Robert Embry as housing commissioner. Embry remembered him has a fair and courageous leader for the city during a period that saw significant unrest.

"There was never a hint during that time of favoritism, he never called or had anybody call and say, so-and-so should be awarded a contract or somebody should be hired or fired. You couldn't have had a better mayor in terms of honesty and integrity," he said.

One of Embry's earliest memories of the former mayor was watching him stand up to a room of residents opposing open housing in northeast Baltimore.

"Tommy got up and promoted open housing and racial equality, one of the most courageous things I had ever seen," Embry said. "That's when he became a hero to me."

A viewing was held Tuesday.

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