What is the Purple Line?
The Inner Purple Line is a proposed light-rail line which would circle and connect the region's core communities near the Capital Beltway, linking the spokes of Metrorail. The first phase of the Inner Purple Line is in Maryland from Bethesda to New Carrolton, with stops including Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Langley Park, University of Maryland and Riverdale. Another important connection would tie Alexandria with National Harbor, Oxon Hill and Branch Avenue in Prince Georges County. Virginia officials have failed to pursue the Purple Line, including connections between Springfield, Annandale, Merrifield, Tysons Corner and Montgomery County, choosing instead (so far) to expand the Beltway to 12-lanes, using four lanes for private toll-lanes.
The Purple Line will bring transportation choices, energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and economic development.
—Stewart Schwartz
Why Does the Purple Line Matter?
It offers a fast and high quality public transit alternative for suburb-to-suburb commuters. So it would take cars off local roads and the Beltway, reduce traffic and help curb greenhouse gas emissions. Even conservative estimates for Purple Line ridership demonstrate strong demand for the line.
Transit-oriented development near new Purple Line rail stations would also promote the revitalization of inner-suburban neighborhoods. By focusing development in inner-Beltway communities through a connected network of high quality transit stations, we can anchor our older communities, enhance property values, and bring new housing and business opportunities to underserved parts of the region. A high quality light rail line will foster job growth in Silver Spring and Prince Georges County, connect workers to jobs in Bethesda and the Red Line Corridor and reduce traffic. An excellent example of a community that would be revitalized with the Purple Line is Langley Park.
Equitable Development in Langley Park
Langley Park is a vibrant multi-cultural community which could greatly benefit from a Purple Line station. The area is currently served extensively by Metrobus, and ridership is high: about one-quarter of households in rental apartments do not own a car. Thirty-seven percent of area workers carpool to their jobs, and 20 percent ride public transit. Langley Park has household incomes thirty-eight percent lower than the rest of Prince George's County, and is primarily immigrant, with half of residents born outside of the United States. Latin Americans make up the vast majority of that half, at over eighty percent.
We believe that a high quality light rail investment will strengthen property values and business opportunities. However, we ask that the State and local governments provide low wage workers, renters and small businesses protections and assistance to help them stay in communities to be served by the Purple Line. While a healthy mix of incomes is good for neighborhoods, ensuring that low wage families can continue to live and work near the Purple Line requires intentional policy and funding actions at the local and state levels.
We are working to ensure that Prince Georges County provides housing preservation help to renters and assistance to small businesses, so that everyone can share in the benefit from the Purple Line. We are asking that the State of Maryland set aside funds to assist the County in this effort and increase investment in conventional and rapid bus service in suburban Maryland to complement to the Purple Line.
CSG’s Participation in a Maryland Coalition for the Purple Line
The Coalition for Smarter Growth works actively with regional partners to coordinate advocacy campagins that support sustainable development patterns. Our involvement in the “Purple Line NOW!” coalition helped to rally residents' support at hearings, submit public comments and sign onto petitions. We also have testified in strong support of the Purple Line before the Maryland Transit Administration, citing all of the proposed line's economic, social and environmental benefits. To follow the progress of the Purple Line and to receive action alerts on how you can support it, please sign up for our action alerts, and we will make it easy for you to contact your elected officials.
For more information on the Purple Line visit http://www.purplelinenow.com/
Latest News and Next Steps
On August 4, 2009, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley announced his support for the Purple Line light rail. His approval of the project joined the unanimous approval of the Prince George's County Council, the Montgomery County Council, the two county executives, and the Metropolitan Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board. CSG and other area groups joined together to praise his decision. Now that the Governor has approved of the light rail project, the State will apply for federal funding to begin construction. Once funding is secured, the State expects that construction will begin in 2014 and that service will begin in 2017.
