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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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Update on Purple Line (Bi-County Transitway) Dec. 2005 The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) staff presented a Purple Line update to the Montgomery County Council T&E committee on December 8th. The material presented will be added to the study web site. (www.bi-countytransitway.com) at a future date. Highlights follow: : 1) The Bi-County Transitway (Purple Line) Environmental Impact Study (EIS) is delayed by one year because additional detail work must be done. The draft EIS public hearing is now scheduled for winter 2006/2007 which is after the November statewide election. The key milestones of the study are now: • Circulation of draft EIS and public hearing: Winter 2006/2007 • Selection of Locally Preferred Alternative: Spring 2007 • Record of Decision: Fall 2008 • Complete Final Design Spring 2011 • Start of Operations (First segment) Spring 2013 2) MTA is working with WMATA to start enhanced bus service (Silver Spring to College Park) in one year. This will include better buses and some priority treatment at selected intersections. 3) The study now includes a Low, Medium, and High alternative for both Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and light rail (LRT) modes– a total of six alternatives for the build options. These six options are in addition to a No-Build and TSM (improved bus service) alternatives that are required for federal transit studies. 4) Tunneling is only mentioned for east Silver Spring alternatives and the UMD campus for Medium and High rail options and High bus alternative. 5) Wayne Avenue routing is the preferred routing for Low/Medium bus alternative and the low build rail alternative. Sligo Avenue is only a “design option” for the Low bus/rail alternatives. Tom Perez quizzed MTA staff about how fast the project could be built (or ground broken) if we had a new Governor. Response was that the project “needed a champion but without a champion the project wouldn’t go forward with any speed”. George Leventhal announced that he had scheduled a Purple Line coalition meeting for 3 PM January 20th at MNCPPC Silver Spring. As newly elected County Council President, he also featured the need for the Purple Line in his remarks after his election, as well as at the recent Committee for Montgomery breakfast. |
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Nov. 18th: Washington Post, Washington Area Bicyclist Assn Endorse Light Rail Purple Line; DEIS hearings in progress; 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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