Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced Tuesday that the controversial Purple Line would be built as light rail, instead of bus rapid transit, in front of a crowd of purple-clad supporters and officials.
The 16-mile line would have up to 21 stations, providing a key east-west connection to Metro, MARC and Amtrak lines by 2018. Nearly all of it would run above ground, instead of tunneling under part of Silver Spring as some had hoped. And it would have an optional stop at Dale Drive in Silver Spring, another controversial spot.
“It’s a terrific day, what can I say,” said Ben Ross, with Montgomery County’s Action Committee for Transit advocacy group that has pushed for the light-rail version. “I’ve been working on this issue for 20 years.”
The decision capped a long and divisive debate on the proposed line connecting Bethesda’s Metrorail station to the one in New Carrollton.
But the line still has some hurdles ahead.
The $1.5 billion project O’Malley proposed still needs federal funding. Other projects, including Baltimore’s Red Line project that was also announced Tuesday, may be competing for those federal transportation dollars.
Some opponents to the line have threatened lawsuits against the light-rail option, concerned that it will knock down trees and change the nature of the popular Georgetown Branch/Capital Crescent Trail, which was built along a rail right-of-way.
