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"Our over-reliance on cars and $4-per-gallon gasoline has led us to dig a really deep hole for ourselves. The Purple Line is the ladder that helps us climb up out of this hole toward the light of rational land use, friendly commutes and a stable climate." Mike Tidwell, director of CCAN |  |
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Success of any large project requires citizens, government officials and technical experts to work together to evaluate alternatives and select the one that best achieves the greatest public good. The Purple Line can best be evaluated as a series of segments, and the Coalition is working hard to help project designers resolve problems on each of these segments. First the big picture:
This is the most scrutinized segment of the project which is about 4.5 miles long. The Purple Line would follow the Georgetown Branch right of way with various options on managing grade separations and comingling of the rail project with the reconfigured trail. The State is now studying several options for this 2 mile link which would follow the CSX right of way into downtown Silver Spring. In the 1990s, the plan was to cross under CSX in North Woodside and follow the existing rail line south along the edge of the Woodside neighborhood. CSX complicated this plan when it increased the distance required between the light rail and freight tracks to 25' (center line to center line). As a result, the idea of coming down on the west side of the right of way is now being looked at more seriously. A crossover from west to east could be located just north of the Silver Spring Transit Center with the light rail line entering in the third rather than second level of the center. This is close to the existing grade at the southern end of the center. If this scenario pans out, the trail could cross the CSX tracks in north Silver Spring and utilize the abandoned third track bed or 3rd Avenue right of way on its way down to the Transit Center. It would cross Colesville at the approximate grade of the existing CSX and metrorail tracks, entering the Transit Center below the light rail line. This is another 2 +/- mile segment with many challenges. In 1999 it was generally shown on maps as a tunnel. It received little attention until Montgomery County augmented the State effort with it's own effort - putting forth the options of following either Wayne Avenue or Sligo Avenue eastward from downtown to various points on Piney Branch Road. While MTA maps show both Wayne and Sligo, discussions with the planners suggest that there are many more variations for getting through the eastern end of Silver Spring. In both cases, widening the roads to have a completely dedicated right of way would be extremely disruptive and costly. Operating in mixed traffic may be feasible assuming it is not for too many blocks and that there is a way for the light rail to get through intersections faster than the rest of the traffic. Tunnelling will be evaluated at the recommendation of the Montgomery County Council. Aerial structures are unlikely to be acceptable in these residentail communities. The idea of pairing streets, so that a westbound track is located on one and eastbound on another may be examined more carefully as well. MTA will probably develop these concepts over the next few months and look for opportunities to get further community input in the Spring of 2005. The University of Maryland The Purple Line will follow University Boulevard, but there are many variations for how it is integrated with the automobile traffic on this busy roadway. If the line operates at grade, it could be in the center two lanes, or on one side or the other of the road. Coordination with turning lanes will be a challenge. An aerial structure is feasible but expensive. A stop has been planned for University and New Hampshire Avenue since 1999: now a stop is shown at Riggs Road and Montgomery County has asked for consideration of a stop at Piney Branch as well (Clifton Park). The University of Maryland and City of College Park have met with State planners periodically to try to come up with an optimal way of bringing the Purple Line across campus. The State is proposing a suppressed alignment mixed with some at-grade and cut and cover segments. Several options are on the table. MTA is examining the possibility of adding a stop in the "M-SQUARE" research park area east of the College Park Green Line Metrorail Station. This would also serve the Riverdale Park community. Several options are on the table. |
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68,000 riders each weekday is huge! Counting down to completion of Purple Line DEIS; Latest news: Latest News; How you can help 
See: We need you to help keep the Purple Line a state and county priority. Write a letter, make a call or send an e-mail in support of the Purple Line today. See: Contact List |
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