Questions remain on Purple Line proposal

But there are still many details to be worked out before the opening of the 16-mile transit line including who will pay to run it, the exact location of stops, and which transit agency will operate the trains. The Purple Line, which has been in the works for some 20 years, would open in 2016 at the earliest.

And that’s before its opponents may try to slow it down with lawsuits, letter-writing campaigns and other tactics.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the remaining issues on the proposed line that some estimates have said would carry 62,500 riders each day, creating a new east-west connection to the Metrorail and MARC lines that radiate north from the District:

»  The station disputes:

O’Malley’s plan outlined 21 stations. The location of most stations — essentially bus shelters with a 200-foot platform — may move as the plan goes forward. But Project Manager Michael Madden said stations won’t include any additional parking beyond what’s already there.

Maryland officials are also still working with the University of Maryland to evaluate whether the trains should run along the campus’ main drag, as the planners would like, or farther south. The school has been concerned about the possible effects of “electromagnetic interference” and “vibration” on university research projects.

In addition, Maryland officials are studying whether to build a station at Dale Drive near Silver Spring after neighbors and Montgomery County requested it not be built.

»  The neighbors:

Three main groups oppose the light rail option, with different reasons and preferences, although they have some overlapping concerns. A coalition of neighborhood groups and users of the trail running along the proposed route are sending a letter to federal authorities opposing the line. The Town of Chevy Chase and the Columbia Country Club (whose golf course would be bisected by the train along a pre-existing rail right of way) are the most likely to sue. Both groups told The Examiner they haven’t decided yet whether to pursue lawsuits and they may need to wait another two years until federal officials have agreed to the plan.

Three main groups oppose the light rail option, with different reasons and preferences, although they have some overlapping concerns. A coalition of neighborhood groups and users of the trail running along the proposed route are sending a letter to federal authorities opposing the line. The Town of Chevy Chase and the Columbia Country Club (whose golf course would be bisected by the train along a pre-existing rail right of way) are the most likely to sue. Both groups told The Examiner they haven’t decided yet whether to pursue lawsuits and they may need to wait another two years until federal officials have agreed to the plan.

»  The logistics:

A final decision on who will operate the line has not been made, said Maryland Transit Administration spokeswoman Cheron Victoria Wicker. She said it could be Metro, one of the counties, or the MTA that currently operates MARC commuter trains locally and the light rail in Baltimore. Maryland officials likely won’t make a decision until they begin preliminary engineering, she said.

No matter who is running the trains, though, Metro’s General Manager John Catoe said this week that “we do want to make sure it’s coordinated.

»  The cost:

The state hopes to receive half of the $1.5 billion estimated construction costs from the federal government. But it’s not clear whether Prince George’s and Montgomery counties would pay for some of the state’s share of the remaining costs, Madden said.

It also isn’t clear how the line’s maintenance and repairs would be funded as riders’ fares typically do not cover the entire cost of operating mass transit, let alone their long-term infrastructure costs. The state has estimated it would cost $11.5 million each year to maintain and operate the line, Madden said. Because fares have not been set, it’s not clear how much would need to be subsidized.

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