Bethesda Row after the Purple Line Opens?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Purple Lime will be studied for decades as a case study for how not to do transit. It won’t even be faster than existing bus service between several stops.
https://twitter.com/sodiumPen/status/1773353262353146257#m

So I clicked on your link, and here's what the Purple Line won't be faster than: Silver Spring to New Carrollton, 56 minutes via the Metro Red Line to Metro Center then transfer to the Metro Orange Line, 62.6 minutes via the Purple Line. And Silver Spring to College Park, 26 minutes via the Metro Red Line to Fort Totten, then transfer to the Metro Green Line, 37.6 minutes via the Purple Line.

The Metro Red Line/Orange Line/Green Line are not a bus. And most people will not be traveling all the way to New Carrollton on the Purple Line. And even if they are, the extra six minutes might be worth it for a one-seat ride. And unlike the College Park Metro station, where you would still have to take another bus to tget to UMD, the Purple Line will have three stations that are actually at UMD.

Would it have been better for the Purple Line to be built directly (not via the public-private partnership due to debt from the ICC), without the delays caused by decades of opposition and lawsuits from the Town of Chevy Chase and the Columbia Country Club, and without the enormous cost overruns caused by Larry Hogan? You betcha. I don't think anybody disagrees about that.

See here for how Larry Hogan botched the Purple Line: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2022/06/20/larry-hogan-purple-line-fiasco/

[Anonymous]

The Purple Line will be slower than existing rail service from Silver Spring to College Park. You think that because it’s not a bus that makes it okay and not a colossal waste of money?

For all of the most obvious use cases, it will either be the same or slower than existing transit. What’s the point of this thing?

[Anonymous]

What is there actually to travel to BR for? Restaurants, maybe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Purple Line will be slower than existing rail service from Silver Spring to College Park. You think that because it’s not a bus that makes it okay and not a colossal waste of money?

For all of the most obvious use cases, it will either be the same or slower than existing transit. What’s the point of this thing?

How about Silver Spring to Bethesda? College Park to Rockville?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Purple Line will be slower than existing rail service from Silver Spring to College Park. You think that because it’s not a bus that makes it okay and not a colossal waste of money?

For all of the most obvious use cases, it will either be the same or slower than existing transit. What’s the point of this thing?

The Purple Line will be slower than existing rail service from the Silver Spring Metro station to the College Park Metro station.

But the great thing about the Purple Line is that it will have multiple stations in Silver Spring, and also multiple stations in College Park. Which do you think will be faster for a trip from the Silver Spring library to Stamp?

I don't really care, though. Want to hate on the Purple Line? Go ahead. It will have as much effect as hating on the full moon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is there actually to travel to BR for? Restaurants, maybe?

Vace

[Anonymous]

With the Purple Line, it will be an easy one seat commute for all the FBI employees who live in Bethesda and Chevy Chase to the new HQ in Greenbelt. And I’ve always wanted to check out the New Deal Cafe and the old movie palace in historic Greenbelt.

I wonder if there are any worthwhile spots to check out in New Carrollton, the future Purple Line terminus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Purple Line will be slower than existing rail service from Silver Spring to College Park. You think that because it’s not a bus that makes it okay and not a colossal waste of money?

For all of the most obvious use cases, it will either be the same or slower than existing transit. What’s the point of this thing?

The most obvious use case, in fact the original use case, is Bethesda-Silver Spring. 8.9 minutes on the Purple Line, 21 minutes (or more, depending on traffic) on the J2 bus.

[Anonymous]

I can realistically foresee the Purple Line becoming a culinary corridor of sorts. If you’re craving profiteroles, there are a few options in Bethesda but none in Silver Spring. On the other hand, Silver Spring has excellent Caribbean hole-in-the-wall type joints for a nice lunch. There are legendary pupuserias further out near Langley Park. College Park has all the pub fare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree, and so do the vast majority of Bethesda and Chevy Chase residents.

Georgetown avoided a Metro stop, but that didn't stop crime from finding its way there.

[Anonymous]

How long before the Purple Line breaks even?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long before the Purple Line breaks even?

Transportation projects never ever break even. The NJ Turnpike, despite decades of toll hikes, still hasn’t broken even, or turned a profit in any given year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Purple Line will be slower than existing rail service from Silver Spring to College Park. You think that because it’s not a bus that makes it okay and not a colossal waste of money?

For all of the most obvious use cases, it will either be the same or slower than existing transit. What’s the point of this thing?

The most obvious use case, in fact the original use case, is Bethesda-Silver Spring. 8.9 minutes on the Purple Line, 21 minutes (or more, depending on traffic) on the J2 bus.

11 Billion dollars to take a few thousand people per day 4 miles 12 minutes faster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the Purple Line, it will be an easy one seat commute for all the FBI employees who live in Bethesda and Chevy Chase to the new HQ in Greenbelt. And I’ve always wanted to check out the New Deal Cafe and the old movie palace in historic Greenbelt.

I wonder if there are any worthwhile spots to check out in New Carrollton, the future Purple Line terminus.

An “easy one seat” for an hour. Plus whatever additional time lost getting to the Bethesda station without a car from your house. It’s absolutely faster to drive and will always be faster to drive. Plus all the agents get cars anyway so they’ve got need to waste their life on this purple elephant.

[Anonymous]

You're not going end to end on the Metro lines either.