Purple Line (Washington Metro)

Infobox rail line
name = color box|#WMATA color|Purple Purple Line


image_width =
caption = Planned expansion of the WMATA system to serve the Maryland suburbs
type = Rapid transit
system = Washington Metro
status =
locale = Montgomery County, MD and Prince George's County, MD
start = Bethesda (west)
end = New Carrollton (east)
stations = 12 (planned)
ridership =
open = 2015 (planned)
close =
owner =
operator = Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
character = TBA
stock =
linelength =
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge =
el = TBA
speed =
elevation =

WMATA Purple Line

The Purple Line, previously designated as the Bi-County Transitway, is a proposed 16-mile (25 km) transit line [cite web |url=http://www.purplelinemd.com/linked_files/Purple%20Line%20Fact%20Sheet%20102507.pdf |title=Purple Line Fact Sheet |accessdate=2008-05-29 |date=2007-10-25 |publisher=Maryland Transit Administration] to link the Red, Green and Orange lines of the Washington Metrorail transportation system in Washington, D.C..

History

The Purple Line was conceived as a rail line from New Carrollton to Silver Spring. Maryland's Glendening administration (which included John Porcari as Secretary of Transportation) removed the heavy rail option from planning discussion because it was felt that the cost was greater than the need. Robert Flanagan, the Maryland State Secretary of Transportation under governor Robert Ehrlich, merged the Purple Line with another transportation project, Georgetown Branch Light Rail Transit (GBLRT). The GBLRT was proposed as a light rail transit line from Silver Spring westward, following the former Georgetown Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (now a short CSX siding and the Capital Crescent Trail) to Bethesda.

Both Governor Ehrlich and Secretary Flanagan introduced an alternative mode — bus rapid transit — that might be utilized in lieu of light rail transit. To reflect this possibility, the administration changed the name of the project to the "Bi-County Transitway" in March 2003. Another reason that "the Purple Line" was discouraged by the Ehrlich administration was that its associations with the other color-oriented names of the Washington Metro system (which consists of heavy rail) might lead the public to expect a heavy rail option. The new name did not catch on, however, as several media outlets and most citizens continued to refer to the project as the Purple Line. As a result, Governor Martin O'Malley and Secretary of Transportation John Porcari opted to revert to "Purple Line".

In January 2008, the O'Malley administration allocated $100 million within a six-year capital budget to complete design documents for state approval and funding of the Purple Line. [cite web |url=http://www.gazette.net/stories/011808/polinew204004_32360.shtml |title=O’Malley allocates $100M for Purple Line planning |accessdate=2008-01-21 |last=Davis |first=Janel |date=2008-01-18 |work=The Gazette (Maryland) |publisher=Post-Newsweek Media] In May 2008, it was reported that the Purple Line could carry about 68,000 daily trips. [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/29/AR2008052902261.html
title=Trips on Purple Line Rail Projected at 68,000 Daily
accessdate=2008-06-07
date=2008-05-30
author=Katherine Shaver
|publisher=The Washington Post]

Route and station locations

The planned rail or rapid bus line will connect the existing Metro stations at: [cite web|url=http://www.innerpurpleline.org/images/ACTflyerinside-Color.gif|title=Purple Line Now]
* Bethesda (Red Line)
* Silver Spring (Red Line)
* College Park (Green Line)
* New Carrollton (Orange Line)

New stations are planned at:
* Chevy Chase Lake
* West Silver Spring
* The Woodside community in Silver Spring
* The Long Branch section of Takoma Park and Silver Spring
* The border between Takoma Park and Langley Park (New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard)
* The main commercial zone in Langley Park (Riggs Road and University Boulevard)
* College Park/University of Maryland (possibly additional stations to existing)
* Riverdale

Community support and opposition

Support for rail

*The [http://www.actfortransit.org/ Action Committee for Transit] is a community group that supports the Purple Line. [ [http://www.innerpurpleline.org/ Inner Purple Line] ]
* "The Washington Post" advocates construction of the Purple Line light rail option.
* After the 2006 election, the members-elect of the Montgomery County Council and Prince George's County were unanimously in favor of the Purple Line light rail option.
* State officials (including Governor O'Malley, Dem.) are also strong Purple Line advocates. State officials say that a Purple Line, which would run primarily above ground, "would provide better east-west transit service, particularly for lower-income workers who can't afford cars." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/12/AR2008071200790_pf.html] Washington Post
* The development firm Chevy Chase Land Co. is a strong proponent of the construction of the Purple Line. The website for the pro-Purple umbrella group Purple Line NOW! lists Edward Asher as a member of its board of directors. "The Washington Post" indicates that the development firm would "no doubt profit from property it owns near at least one of the proposed stations." [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/12/AR2008071200790_pf.html]
* The Sierra Club advocates a larger-scale rail system to parallel the Capital Beltway and link all existing Metro lines at their peripheries. This environmental group advocates rail transit over car use because carbon emissions are a major risk factor for global warming.
* Student leaders at the University of Maryland support transit alternatives to campus. [cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201341.html |title=Students Urge Stronger Backing of Purple Line |publisher=The Washington Post |date=May 13, 2007 |page=C04 |author=Katherine Shaver] [cite web |url=http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/Purple%20Line%20-%20University%20of%20Maryland.pdf |title=Letter from student leaders to UMD President |accessdate=2007-06-04]

Support for bus

* The Town of Chevy Chase supports bus rapid transit on the alternate Jones Bridge Road alignment based on concerns over expected ridership numbers and carbon footprint. [ [http://www.townofchevychase.org/assets/documents/pdfs/purpleline/Alternatives%20Analysis%20-%20042308.pdf Town of Chevy Chase Alternative Analysis] ]
* Several political leadersWho|date=July 2008 support this option due to its reduced sunk costs and the ability to easily modify its routing should such a need arise.Fact|date=July 2008
* There are few indications of support for the rapid bus option among residents of Montgomery and Prince George's counties, as evidenced by the lack of endorsements from organizations or other prominent individuals.Fact|date=January 2008

Opposition

* Many opponents of the Purple Line believe that the Bethesda-Silver Spring portion will negatively impact the Capital Crescent Trail, a popular recreational path along which the Purple Line might run. An organization called [http://www.savethetrailpetition.org/ Save the Trail] was formed to organize local opposition to Purple Line construction. [http://www.savethetrailpetition.org/]
* A leading opponent of the Purple Line is the Columbia Country Club, a golf course with land that occupies both sides of the planned route between Bethesda and Silver Spring. [cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12436-2005Jan15.html |title=Fortunes Shift for East-West Rail Plan |publisher=The Washington Post |date=January 16, 2005 |page=C01 |author=Katherine Shaver]
* Opponents cite the high cost of the project, estimated at $2 billion. Many opponents of the Purple Line believe that a rapid bus plan would be more cost effective. [http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2008/07/chevy_chase_says_buses_beat_tr.html]
* Some residents in Bethesda and Chevy Chase believe a rail line running near their properties will negatively impact property values near the route. [http://www.gazette.net/stories/072308/montlet165722_32365.shtml] In support of this position, the Town of Chevy Chase independently hired transportation planning firm Sam Schwartz Engineering to study alternatives to the proposal. [ [http://www.townofchevychase.org/assets/documents/pdfs/committees/longrange/lrp112007.pdf Town of Chevy Chase Long Range Planning Committee meeting minutes, 20 November 2007] ]
* Some Silver Spring residents are concerned that one of the proposed routes will take houses along Thayer Avenue, cross in back of East Silver Spring Elementary School, take over an acre of Sligo Creek Park, and bring noise to a residential neighborhood.
* University of Maryland administrators have raised concerns that the Purple Line could disrupt existing pedestrian and autombile traffic patterns on campus. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/21/AR2008012102159.html?hpid=moreheadlines U-Md. Wants Purple Line Off Its Main Street] , "The Washington Post", January 22, 2008]

Response to opposition

Common responses to opposition points include arguments that:
* The Purple Line will not destroy the Capital Crescent Trail, but will exist adjacent to it. [ [http://www.innerpurpleline.org/trail.htm ACT on the trail] ]
* The right-of-way for the Capital Crescent Trail was purchased by the state of Maryland specifically for a transit line, so the trail would not exist if not for the transit line. [ [http://www.justupthepike.com/2007/08/purple-line-haze-history-lesson.html Purple Line History Lesson] ]
* The environmental benefits of increased transit use, such as lower vehicle emissions, more than offset the removal of trees along the route from an environmental perspective. [ [http://www.innerpurpleline.org/benefits.htm ACT on Purple Line benefits] ]
* Bus rapid transit is not as effective as light rail. [ [http://www.innerpurpleline.org/dieseltrail.htm ACT on rail instead of bus] ]
* The suggested alternate route along Jones Bridge Road between Bethesda and Silver Spring is indirect and slower than the Capital Crescent route. [ [http://www.innerpurpleline.org/dieseltrail.htm ACT on Jones Bridge Road route] ]

References

External links

State government

* [http://www.purplelinemd.com/ Maryland Transit Administration]

County government

* [http://www.mc-mncppc.org/Transportation/projects/bicounty.shtm Montgomery County Planning Department]

Purple Line maps

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/05/31/GR2007053101451.html Washington Post Map] – dated May 31, 2007, based on updated MTA proposed stops
* [http://www.sierraclub.org/dc/sprawl/purple-line/purple-line-map-large.html Sierra Club Proposed Route] – full loop not actually being studied

Rail advocates

* [http://www.innerpurpleline.org ACT Purple Line Page]
* [http://www.purplelinenow.com Purple Line Now!]
* [http://www.actfortransit.org Action Committee for Transit]
* [http://www.princegeorgesact.org/ Prince George's Advocates for Community-based Transit]
* [http://www.sierraclub.org/dc/sprawl/purple-line/ Sierra Club proposal]

Rail or bus advocates

* [http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/library/purple-line/ College Park Informational Page]

Opposition

* [http://www.savethetrail.org Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Coalition]
* [http://www.sstop.org Silver Spring/Thayer Ave.]