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The Purple Line took another step forward on April 8, 2010 when the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Purple Line Functional Master Plan and voted to transmit it to the County Council for final approval. Now we need the County Council to approve the plan, and you can help - see how below.

The purpose of the Functional Master Plan is to update the Montgomery 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.

PLN Board Member Craig Simpson presented testimony at the Planning Board 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."

Our then 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.

Purple Line supporters cannot take it for granted that the decision to build the Purple Line is won. The Purple Line Functional Master Plan will be considered by the Montgomery County Council this June and July. The Council will hold a public hearing on the Master Plan at 7:30 p.m. on June 29. The Council must approve the plan for it to be final.

It is likely the Town of Chevy Chase will orchestrate testimony against the Purple Line at the Council public hearing, as it did for the Planning Board. 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, and the Planning Board was not swayed by their arguments.

The Council is on record in support of the Purple Line, but the Council needs to hear from supporters to remind it that the large majority of its constituents want the Purple Line. We need Purple Line supporters to sign up and testify to the County Council at their June 29 Public Hearing (Call 240-777-7803 to sign up). If you are not able to testify, please send the Council an email or letter in support of the Functional Master Plan. The Montgomery County Council Website has contact information for the whole Council and for individual Councilmembers. You can use our Myths and Facts for talking points to refute the assertions being made by Purple Line opponents.