"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

The Capital Crescent Trail Needs the Inner Purple Line Updated: February 14, 2007 Trails are often built within or alongside the right-of-ways of active rail lines because these are often the best uninterupted alignments available. Area master plans and the approved regional trail plan all call for the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) and the Metropolitan Branch Trail to be built along the CSX corridor in Silver Spring. This is the only alignment that will support an off-road trail with safe crossings of the many busy streets. Opponents of the Inner Purple Line project have no viable plan for completing the CCT as a trail worth of that name that is not along the rail corridor. It is very unlikely the CCT will ever be completed into downtown Silver Spring on the planned alignment without the Inner Purple Line: Here's Why: Cost The cost of building the CCT as a trail alone in the difficult CSX corridor is off the charts - estimated at $25 million by MTA in 2002. The CCT needs the Inner Purple Line to get the right-of-way and to help build expensive bridges and retaining walls. Railroad Bureaucracy: It is unlikely that CSX will sell key pieces of their property for a trail, if it is not part of the joint-use project. CSX has made agreements about trails and for use of their facilities (i.e. MARC Trains) but the stakes are high and they will look for major concessions as part of the agreement. While opponents deny these facts, time reveals all, and time has revealed no progress in completion of the trail as a stand-alone project into Silver Spring.

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