"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

BUILD IT! The E-mail Newsletter of the Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line Volume 3 #8 - June 7, 2004 This issue contains the following: 1) COALITION MEETING REMINDER 2) BELTWAY WIDENING PROPOSALS SPARKS DEBATE 3) VAN HOLLEN DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM TRANSIT OPPONENTS 4) CALENDAR ITEMS 5) THIS MAILING LIST 1) COALITION MEETING REMINDER The Coalition will be meeting this Friday (6/11) at 3:45 in the auditorium of MNCPPC on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. The agenda will include a discussion of the beltway widening proposal (see below) as well as news updates. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2) BELTWAY WIDENING PROPOSALS SPARKS DEBATE Since the last newsletter, SHA sponsored two informational sessions on the proposal to add two lanes and convert two lanes of the beltway to High Occupancy Toll Lanes. Interest in the proposal is keen, especially in areas where the Inner Purple Line is most controversial. One member of the Coalition Board questioned some statements made in the previous newsletter - rightfully taking exception to implications about the merits of the beltway proposal in the newsletter. It should be clarified that the Coalition does not have, and will not have a position on the proposed beltway widening. However, the Coalition will rightfully discuss the scheduling of beltway widening as it relates to that of the Purple Line. There are good arguments for completing the Purple Line PRIOR to making major changes to the beltway. The Purple Line will provide a valuable alternative for commuters using the beltway. Since the road work will be very disruptive to businesses, commuters and residents for a multi-year period it makes sense to get this alternative in place first. Completing the Purple Line will not eliminate the pain, but it would reduce it while encouraging the shift to transit by those for whom that is feasible. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3) VAN HOLLEN DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM TRANSIT OPPONENTS On May 24th, Congressman Christopher Van Hollen (D-8) held a "town meeting" at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center in Silver Spring, MD. Congressman Van Hollen has worked with his colleagues, Al Wynn and Steny Hoyer, to keep the Purple Line on the active project list at the federal level. While the town meeting did not center on transportation, Mr. Van Hollen did make his position clear in response to a comment from a trail-only advocate for the Georgetown Branch right-of-way. The Congressman said: "It is my view that you can have the Purple Line and take measures to protect the trail" He went on to acknowledge the unacceptably high cost of deep tunneling, calling for: "limited cut and cover in a way that will protect the Capital Crescent Trail." This was exactly the approach encouraged by our Coalition in communications with the Ehrlich administration during the Fall of 2002 and Spring of 2003. It remains a sound approach that will make good use of the public right of way for both trolleys s and a trail. It is NOT, however, the position of the Columbia Country Club or Greater Chevy Chase Coalition. The later group views the loss of existing trees required in the cut and cover option to be unacceptable. Unfortunately, the Ehrlich administration chose not to pursue the option of limited cut and cover, raising instead the spector of transit running down Jones Bridge and Jones Mill Roads. That option, which will not come cheap, has received no endorsements but continues to be studies - a tremendous waste of tax dollars. We applaud Congressman Van Hollen's endorsement of our sensible approach to the coordination issues in tight spots of the Georgetown Branch alignment. We look forward to further discussion of this issue during the campaign between Mr. Van Hollen and his Republican challenger, Mr. Chuck Floyd, also of Kensington, Maryland. It is encouraging that Mr. Floyd, a retired military officer, former State Department employee and entrepreneur, also believes the Inner Purple Line must be built in a manner that ensures the completion of the Capital Crescent Trail into Silver Spring. We hope he can sustain this principled position in the face of the temptation of the money machine of the Chevy Chase Country Club and other wealthy campaign donors. Note: this newsletter will accept short statements elucidating positions in support of the Purple Line by any serious candidates for local, county, state or federal offices relevant to this issue. ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4) CALENDAR ITEMS JUNE June 8th, (tuesday) 7:30 pm Action Committee for Transit (Montgomery) 8818 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring Speakers: Amtrak update - Ross Capon, Executive Director of National Association of Rail Passengers (and ACT co-founder) ++++++++++++++++++ June 11th (friday) 3:45 PM Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line meeting, MNCPPC, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD +++++++++++++++++ June 16th (wednesday) Silver Spring Transit Center informational open house on this major mixed reconstruction of the existing bus depot and mixed used development project which is designed to accommodate the Purple Line. location and time to be provide later. 5) THIS MAILING LIST The Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line was formed by business, labor, environmental and community organizations in 2002 to promote the light rail transit line connecting Bethesda, Silver Spring, Takoma/Langley, College Park, Riverdale Park and New Carrollton. The Coalition supports completion of the hiker-biker trail into Silver Spring, as well as pedestrian enhancements as part of the transit project elsewhere along the alignment. If you do not want to receive the e-mail newsletter on the Inner Purple Line, please reply with "remove" in the subject line. If you want to add someone's name to the mailing list, send their name, e-mail address, and any organizational affiliations via reply with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line

68,000 riders each weekday is huge! Counting down to completion of Purple Line DEIS; Latest news: Latest News; How you can help See: Calendar of Events. 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