S/O purple line?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love how all the poeple who DON"T live in Bethesda seem to be experts on the area.

Just love it.

I grew up in the area, and while I'm a bit past Bethesda, I still consider myself an expert.

Nothing stays the same.

Embrace change, peeps!

from New Carrollton to Piney Branch Road to Riverdale Park to Riggs Road to Lyttonsville to to Bethesda . . . one straight shot!

[Anonymous]

In the past year, how many of you have gone from New Caroloton to Silver Spring? Can you find New Carollton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thing with purple line is that would it really help alleviate traffic? For some reason the route and length of the plan doesn't lead me to believe that.

I would rather spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the redline.

Wow my DH said the same exact thing this morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the past year, how many of you have gone from New Caroloton to Silver Spring? Can you find New Carollton?

The really great thing about a light rail line, as opposed to (for example) an airplane ride, is that there are stops all along the way that people can use to get on and off at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing with purple line is that would it really help alleviate traffic? For some reason the route and length of the plan doesn't lead me to believe that.

I would rather spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the redline.

Wow my DH said the same exact thing this morning.

You can't spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the Red Line. It's different money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing with purple line is that would it really help alleviate traffic? For some reason the route and length of the plan doesn't lead me to believe that.

I would rather spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the redline.

Wow my DH said the same exact thing this morning.

You can't spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the Red Line. It's different money.

You mean it is a different, non-convertible currency? My understanding was that money was fungible.

[Anonymous]

Chevy Chase Land Company has money that it wants to spend on increasing density at its Connecticut Avenue site. That money isn't available for more rational options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing with purple line is that would it really help alleviate traffic? For some reason the route and length of the plan doesn't lead me to believe that.

I would rather spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the redline.

Wow my DH said the same exact thing this morning.

You can't spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the Red Line. It's different money.

You mean it is a different, non-convertible currency? My understanding was that money was fungible.

The State of Maryland is applying for money for the federal government for the Purple Line. If the federal government awards that money, the State of Maryland has to spend it on the Purple Line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the past year, how many of you have gone from New Caroloton to Silver Spring? Can you find New Carollton?

Actually, I live in Chevy Chase and often fly into BWI and take Amtrak to NYC. I would love to be able to get off the train at New Carrolton and transfer to the Purple Line to get home rather than going into Union Station and having to take a cab or the Red Line (and then cab or bus) home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing with purple line is that would it really help alleviate traffic? For some reason the route and length of the plan doesn't lead me to believe that.

I would rather spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the redline.

Wow my DH said the same exact thing this morning.

I have worked in downtown Bethesda for 20 years. There are a ton of people who work in Bethesda and live in Silver Spring, and do not take the red line because it goes into downtown and back out and takes so long. So they drive. But a lot of them would take the purple line once is an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing with purple line is that would it really help alleviate traffic? For some reason the route and length of the plan doesn't lead me to believe that.

I would rather spend that money upgrading the speed and tracks and capacity of the redline.

Wow my DH said the same exact thing this morning.

I have worked in downtown Bethesda for 20 years. There are a ton of people who work in Bethesda and live in Silver Spring, and do not take the red line because it goes into downtown and back out and takes so long. So they drive. But a lot of them would take the purple line once is an option.

Yup. And the traffice going westbound into Bethesda in the morning is horrendous!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Absolutely we can improve bus service. Let's start by making one lane on Jones Bridge Road in each direction a bus-only lane. That will cost next to nothing and speed up bus service significantly. I sincerely love the idea. How do you feel about it?

I'm also not sure how you can complain about the expense and inflexibility of the Purple Line and then go right on to recommend an underground Metro line, which would be enormously more expensive.

Your first proposal might work if it fit the school bus routes, but the only spot that is seriously congested is at the intersection with Connecticut Avenue, where people waiting to turn left fill two of three lanes. Just north of Jones Bridge Road for long stretches are Federal land and a county park that it little used, so it might be possible to add a lane, though I'm not sure about the entire length. The lanes should probably be restricted to buses only during the usually early rush hour; I haven't seen any traffic to speak of at other times.

I expect that improved bus service would meet the need better than the proposed light rail, but if it didn't, I'd agree that something else is needed, and then I'd look at an underground Metro line that would actually be used. I doubt that many people will be willing to transfer to the Purple Line and pay an extra fare, especially after the first snow and the first few deer on the line.

[Anonymous]

I expect that improved bus service would meet the need better than the proposed light rail, but if it didn't, I'd agree that something else is needed, and then I'd look at an underground Metro line that would actually be used. I doubt that many people will be willing to transfer to the Purple Line and pay an extra fare, especially after the first snow and the first few deer on the line.

You are about 10 years too late. This was all studied extensively ages ago. An underground metro type line was obviously preferable, but prohibitively expensive. The bus solution was considered and rejected. A large amount of public transit users will use any type of rail, but will not use a bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I have worked in downtown Bethesda for 20 years. There are a ton of people who work in Bethesda and live in Silver Spring, and do not take the red line because it goes into downtown and back out and takes so long. So they drive. But a lot of them would take the purple line once is an option.

If more of them used the buses right now maybe WMATA would add more buses. They may say they'll take the Purple Line, but most of them will keep driving anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You are about 10 years too late. This was all studied extensively ages ago. An underground metro type line was obviously preferable, but prohibitively expensive. The bus solution was considered and rejected. A large amount of public transit users will use any type of rail, but will not use a bus.

Most of those studies are at best questionable. People who won't use a bus won't use the light rail either, unless they're somehow forced into it.