What is the Purple Line?

Save the Trail Petition

Purple Line Impact on Trail

The Purple Line is a proposed transitway between Bethesda and New Carrollton. There are a range of options -- regarding both the route and mode of transit -- being considered by Maryland Transportation officials. One of the options includes a light rail or bus transitway on the Capital Crescent Trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring.

If run along the Capital Crescent Trail, the Purple Line would have a devastating effect on the Trail and surrounding communities. .

There is no transit system in the United States that runs trains or buses so frequently and so fast, while running so close to a popular trail, homes, and apartments, as the proposed light rail, Purple Line between Bethesda and Silver Spring.

*   Trains would run about 10 feet from the edge of the Capital Crescent Trail, destroying the peace and safety of this popular regional trail;

*   Trains would pass every 3 minutes less than 30 feet from many homes and apartments - destroying the property values and tranquility of many neighborhoods;

*   Thousands of trees would be clear-cut -- destroying a beautiful natural buffer that protects residential communities and the trail from pollution and noise.

All of the trees along the Trail --

thousands of them -- would be clear-cut. Trains would run just a few feet from hikers and bikers.

Trains would run just a few feet from hundreds of homes and apartments along the Trail.

A 66' wide swath would be bulldozed and all the trees would be clear-cut to make way for the light rail. In place of this 12' wide berm, there would be double tracks and catenary wires.

And while destroying the trail, the proposed Light Rail Purple Line would fail to meet the long term transportation needs of the Region.

In contrast, a seamless Metro Line (which would be heavy rail) connecting the two legs of the Red Line (which are heavy rail) would:

be faster,
carry more riders,
provide quicker connections,
allow for expansion,
allow Metro trains to move back and forth between the two legs of the Red Line, and
improve Metro's flexibility and capability to respond to emergencies.

Studies have shown:

The Light Rail Purple Line:

* would NOT relieve traffic congestion;

* would NOT take cars off the road;

* would NOT reduce pollution;

* would NOT seamlessly connect the two arms of Metro's Red Line;

* could Not run Metro cars between Bethesda and Silver Spring -- even in emergencies.

The light rail would require transfers from the metro, to the light rail, and back to Metro.

It would require the creation of a totally new transportation system, distinct from Metro, with new operating systems, new operators, new cars and separate maintenance systems.

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