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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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Transportation Priorities Webb Smedley January 25, 2007 President Praisner and members of Council: A few days ago the Bi-county Transitway was resurrected as The Purple Line by Maryland’s new Secretary of Transportation, John Porcari. This resurrection was the result of an election which portends sweeping change for our State. The election also brought change to our County, with this Council embarking on an important debate about the rate and form of growth. We are pleased that the election brought increased consensus about the need for quick action on the Purple Line, and I thank you all for your support. Since the election, I have been looking at how other areas have successfully gained federal support to construct light rail lines. Competition is keen for federal money, so we must learn and emulate Minnesota, Utah and the dozens of other States that successfully moved their projects forward. Minnesota’s success – they are now going back for more with their proposed Central Corridor project – is particularly noteworthy as is evident in the attachment to my written submission. Paris is the latest of a great wave of French city to resurrect light rail transit with their brand new T-3 line – their first in 70 years. The Paris example is noteworthy in that the political leaders made clear their goal was not just mobility improvements – it was the renewal of a corridor with positive improvements to the neighborhoods and commercial centers along it. Like the Purple Line, the T-3 runs along the edge of the city center – connecting metro stops and serving suburb to suburb commutes. The new line restores a wide belt of green along what was an automobile congested ring road. Tracks were laid in grass flanked by 1,000 new trees, a bike trail, improved sidewalks, a comprehensive lighting system and more. While drivers grumbled during construction, the planners provided protection for businesses and the number of businesses actually expanded in the corridor during the tough years of construction. Light Rail lines can run through neighborhoods streets if necessary for they are community friendly, quiet and pollution free. Trains travel at posted speed limits and are at 5 to 10 minute intervals, so that people can cross tracks more safely than they cross roads. The American Public Transit Association keeps data which demonstrates that it is far safer living near a light rail line than a road carrying similar levels of people in their cars. Montgomery County should be in the forefront of this grassroots movement by developing a comprehensive plan to limit CO2 release in our county. Reduction in reliance on the private automobile will be critical to such a program. Whatever our rate of growth, if the emphasis is on sprawl development it will generate increased reliance on private automobiles, generating more of these greenhouse gases. Our Coalition is a Bi-County group, and obviously the Purple Line as the most important transit project serving both Montgomery and Prince George’s County. However, we understand that both counties have other pressing transit needs. In Montgomery County, the Corridor Cities Transitway must move forward soon or land development patterns will not be aligned with it and in Prince George’s. The failure to move forward with rail over the Woodrow Willson Bridge during the reconstruction of that bridge is a mistake. Both Counties and the State must work to move all of these projects forward cooperatively and in a manner that is grounded in analysis of need as well as political and financial realities. We also must not risk further delay in getting funding by gold-plating any of these projects. The added cost of putting the Purple Line underground between Bethesda and Silver Spring is close to the 2003 estimate of $705 million for the entire Corridor Cities Transitway. This is a show stopper. The recent Paris project cost about $80 million a mile, a figure that included a comprehensive reconstruction of the entire roadway. We must create a primarily at-grade project that completes the Capital Crescent Trail along light rail in grass tracks with quality landscaping, bridges, lighting and screening from adjacent properties as well as expanded pocket parks and connections to our major regional parks. We urge you to push the State to improve their planning process while also taking steps to move the Purple Line forward.
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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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