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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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Newsletter of the Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line April 26, 2007 In this issue:
1) SESSION CLOSES - TRANSIT FUNDING DELAYED During the 2007 Maryland General Assembly session, several transportation revenue bills were introduced to fund new transit and highway projects. None of the bills advanced, but momentum may be building for action during the next session. This year, Governor O’Malley and legislative leaders opted to defer action on all major revenue bills, with the new Governor's focus on seeking budget savings to help close a projected $1.5 billion General Fund structural deficit developed over the past decade. Other major policy initiatives such as expanding health care coverage and Chesapeake Bay programs were deferred as well, due to these fiscal concerns. While transportation is funded separately from General Fund operations, state leaders presumably wanted to wait to include transportation revenues in the broader fiscal debate during the next legislative session – either in January 2008 or sooner if a special session is called. For the Purple Line to advance beyond the planning stage, new state transportation revenues will be needed. The Maryland Department of Transportation has estimated that its Transportation Trust Fund is $400-600 million short annually, to keep pace with the state’s transportation needs. In the coming months, transportation supporters (including members of CBIPL) will need to pressure the legislature to increase revenues and work to ensure the Purple Line is funded. For additional information, see: April 2007 Legislative Report 2) COALITION TO HONOR GLENDENING MAY 2ND All interested citizens are invited to join the Coalition on Wednesday, May 2nd at 5 PM as we honor former Governor Parris N. Glendening in the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Auditorium, 8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. In 1999, the Purple Line was many lines on a map. Gov. Glendening will be honored for his leadership in promoting the Inner Purple Line at that critical time. The former Governor, now a national leader on Smart Growth, recognized the value of an alignment that connects Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and New Carrollton. For Bethesda, the project promised to encourage a continued increase in the use of transit to reach this economically healthy downtown. For Silver Spring, it supported the then-fragile revitalization effort. For the University Boulevard corridor, it promised to open up a somewhat economically fragile area to revitalization. For College Park, the Purple Line could potentially turn around the current dismal transit ridership of the University of Maryland community, and for New Carrollton it holds out hope that this transit-accessible center will be redefined in a more pedestrian friendly manner. Governor Glendening will discuss the key role transit plays in Smart Growth development. 3) MTA CUTS EAST SILVER SPRING OPTIONS At the Silver Spring Focus group on April 24th, MTA made several announcements about the critically important east Silver Spring segment of the Purple Line. The transit planners will be eliminating several alignment options: the Sligo Avenue at-grade and below-grade options, and the 2nd Avenue to Wayne overpass option. The remaining two alignments are Wayne Avenue, and the Silver Spring/Thayer right-of-way (which would be used for a tunnel). Both of these options are still being refined. The Coalition has proposed that MTA hold a charrette for the difficult East Silver Spring segment of the Purple Line. Charrettes are commonly-used planning tools that give community members the opportunity to participate in the planning process through an intensive but short-range program of engagement. A charrette sheduled for the fall would complement MTA's focus group process at an opportune time when they have completed more work. This tool can help gaining broader community input from residents of eastern Silver Spring who may be less likely to be involved with the homeowners associations represented at the focus groups, but who are important beneficiaries of the Purple Line. Maps of the updated MTA drawings are not yet on the transit website, but routes from the transit center eastward can be viewed at Silver Spring Penguin.com 4) MTA SETS DESIGN GOALS FOR CRESCENT TRAIL The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has been busy studying rails-with-trails best practices and has set design goals to ensure that the CCT will work well with the Purple Line in the Georgetown Branch Corridor. MTA has now completed a comparison of proposed CCT alignments on the north and the south sides of the Purple Line. MTA found numerous trails in the U.S. that operate safely alongside rail transit. The study results indicate that a CCT alignment with the trail on the north side of the rail west of Jones Mill Road will best support adequate separation between the trail and rail. MTA has set CCT design goals at 25’ horizontal standoff between the CCT and the Purple Line including a 10’ planted buffer, several feet of vertical separation where possible, and a fence between the trail and rail except at the rail crossings. These design goals are higher than seen in many of the rails-with-trails that are already operating across the country with no reported problems. MTA case studies of rails-with-trails and typical profiles for the proposed CCT/Purple Line were presented to the community at the last Bethesda/Chevy Chase focus group meeting, held in March. This MTA study directly refutes claims made by transit opponents that there are no trails near active rail transit similar to that proposed for the CCT/Purple Line. The MTA presentation can be viewed on line at MTA Rail Trail Report 5) SHORT RIDES Canary Islands to Build Wind-Powered Light Rail Line Tenerife, principle island of the Canary Islands, will soon have a light rail system which will truly be a zero-carbon emissions system. The electrical supply will be generated by wind power turbines. The first segment of the system is 7.5 miles long with 22 stops. Construction began in 2004 and the line is schedule to open this year. For more info: Canary Islands Light Rail www.railway-technology.com/projects/tenerife-lightrail/ Transit Tax Benefit Raised In March, bills were introduced in the U. S. House and Senate to increase the allowable benefit for transit commuters to match the benefit for parking. “Commuters can now receive up to $110 per month in transit benefits, but the monthly parking benefit is $215.” The "Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2007" was introduced by Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to provide incentive for commuters to take transit which will in turn help reduce congestion, pollution and dependency on oil. In the same week, transit ridership topped 10 billion trips per year for the first time in 49 years. Public transit use has increased 30 percent since 1995 in the U.S. which is higher than the growth rate for vehicle miles traveled (24 percent) during that same period. Source: American Planning Association Advocate. 3/28/07. www.planning.org/apaadvocate/default.htm Private Toll Road Projects Halted Strong public opposition led Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to withdraw his proposals for two privately funded toll roads in the Indianapolis area and northwestern Indiana. The proposals called for a private firm to finance the construction and operation of a new 75-mile Indiana Commerce Connector. The firm would collect tolling revenue. “The project was widely touted as a model by national advocates of private tolling.” However, public skepticism and a plummeting of support for Daniels in public polls prompted a renewed focus on transit. Hearings are now underway to identify new funding sources, including dedicated revenue for transit. Source: American Planning Association Advocate. 3/28/07.www.planning.org/apaadvocate/default.htm West College Park Joins CBIPL The West College Park Citizens' Association voted to join the Coalition at its recent April meeting. The Association is the third local civic in College Park to join the College Park City Council in taking a position of support for the Purple Line. We welcome this trend! East Campus Developer Selected, Concept Plans on the Web Foulger Pratt and Argo Investment Company are beginning to work on plans for their proposed mixed use project that will be located on university property East of Rt. 1 and south of Paint Branch Parkway. The project will be constructed in phases and includes space for a Purple Line stop and right of way integrated with the project. Rethink College Park has posted some of the plans on its website: see Rethink College Park 6) BECOME A FRIEND OF THE PURPLE LINE Last month, the Town of Chevy Chase voted to commit $250,000 in tax revenues to oppose the Purple Line! While we do not expect to match such a commitment, we need your help to argue for the Purple Line to improve transportation and reduce congestion in our region. The funds raised will be used for the advocacy work required to move the Purple Line project forward. Please help by becoming a friend of the Purple Line and making whatever donation will fit your budget. Become a Friend 7) THIS NEWSLETTER This newsletter is produced by volunteer supporters of the Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line (CBIPL) which was formed in January, 2003 by business, labor, environmental and community organizations to promote the light rail transit line connecting Bethesda, Silver Spring, Takoma/Langley Crossroads, College Park and the University of Maryland, Riverdale Park and New Carrollton. The Coalition supports completion of the hiker-biker trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring, as well as pedestrian enhancements as part of the transit project elsewhere along the alignment.
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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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