Who We Are

What We Want

Why Light Rail?

Rails & Trails

News & Events

Project Background

How You Can Help

The Montgomery County Planning Board held a public hearing on December 10, 2009 on the Purple Line Functional Plan draft. Purple Line opponents from Chevy Chase organized a last ditch campaign to sway the Montgomery County Planning Board at the public hearing. You can help us set the record straight - the public record will be open for comment until February 12.

The purpose of the Functional Plan is to update the county Master Plans to include the Purple Line as double track light rail in the Georgetown Branch Corridor and east to Prince George's County. The Planning Board and County Council have already endorsed the Purple Line mode and alignment, but Montgomery County must update its Master Plan to include the Purple Line to qualify the project for federal funding. Prince George's County completed its update in November 2009, see News and Events.

PLN Board Member Craig Simpson presented testimony at the public hearing on behalf of Purple Line NOW! showing why the Purple Line is badly needed and light rail is the best choice. He refuted assertions by plan opponents that double tracking is a fundamental and unacceptable change from the old master plan, by reminding the Board "Light Rail has been specified on the County's Master Plan since 1990 when the Georgetown Branch Master Plan was approved. The lengthy process that led to that decision rejected buses on the right-of-way between Bethesda and Silver Spring. The adopted plan also specifically states on page 49:

In the event future consideration is given to implementing additional double track sections, the existing right-of-way is generally sufficient with appropriate structural treatment to accommodate the necessary typical 56-foot trolley/trail cross section (see Figure 4), except along the Metropolitan Branch section from Talbot Avenue to Silver Spring."

PLN President Harry Sanders also presented testimony giving specific examples of how best practices are being used now in several cities in Spain and France to create tram systems that are so attractive they feature them on their post cards.

Best practices included in the draft Functional Plan and endorsed in the PLN testimony includes using grass tracks and considering wireless systems, like that illustrated at right with a tram system in Nice. Other best practices include:

• Low floor cars that are easy for all to board (now becoming standard in the US)
• Very attractive vehicles including large windows and streamlined look
• Smooth quiet ride
• Good signage at stops and on train
• Information on next tram arrival at stops and next stops on board
• Trees along the right-of-way near power poles

The full PLN testimony includes four photographs of examples of "best practices", available online (as pdf files) at PLN Testimony - Craig Simpson and
PLN Testimony - Harry Sanders.

The December 10 public hearing was dominated by testimony orchistrated by Purple Line opponents in the Town of Chevy Chase. Purple Line opponents tried to sway the Planning Board by asserting that the Georgetown Branch corridor is a park, that light rail will be dangerous, and that single tracking would save many trees. The facts refute these assertions, see Myths and Facts. Silverspringtrails also gives information that refutes the single track and safety myths, at Off track on one track and Keeping the children safe.

Purple Line supporters cannot take it for granted that the decision to build the Purple Line is won. The Mont. Co. Planning Board will continue to take written comments until February 12, 2010 - by email to MCP-Chair@mncppc-mc.org. Every email the Planning Board receives in support of the Purple Line helps counter the false information from opponents. Please take a moment and send an email now.