Saturday, May 11, 2013
Silver Line appears on new map, but when might the Purple Line appear?
The Maryland Transit Authority has scheduled a series of five open houses to update citizens on the status of the much-discussed Purple Line, according to a Washington Post story. The Purple Line is a proposed light rail extension of the current Metro system and would run for 16 miles between Bethesda and New Carrollton, and connect with the existing Red, Orange and Green Lines. Among issues that have been discussed is how the line’s construction would be funded. A February Post article stated that for Maryland to receive federal funding, the state must demonstrate that it can pay its half ($2.15 billion) of the costs. The gas tax and public-private partnerships have been talked about as possible sources of funding, but no decisions have …
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The planning department's recommendations for the Chevy Chase Lake sector came under criticism during the Montgomery County Council's first work session on the sector plan.
The Montgomery County Planning Board's recommendations for the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan came under criticism from the Montgomery County Council late last month, when the council took up the sector plan for the first time, Bethesda Now reported. At-large Councilman Marc Elrich said that the plan was focused too much on creating density around the planned Purple Line station in Chevy Chase Lake, rather than on the needs of the existing community, according to Bethesda Now. "The purpose of planning is not to provide riders for transit systems," Elrich said, Bethesda Now reported. "The purpose of planning, I thought, was to provide livable communities," Elrich added. The council's next work session for the sector plan will take place in …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Officials are readying Maryland's workforce, but funding for the light rail projects still remains uncertain.
The heads of Maryland’s transit administration and labor department say they’ll work together to prepare the state’s workforce for nearly 7,000 construction jobs that could be generated by the planned Purple Line and Baltimore's Red Line light rail systems. Funding for Maryland’s transportation projects has been a key issue in this year’s legislative session. A gas tax bill introduced by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley this month would raise more than $3.4 billion over the next five years, some of which would go towards the 16-mile Purple Line, which, like many other state transit projects, is not yet fully funded. Following the introduction of the legislation, Maryland Transit Administrator Ralign T. Wells and Maryland Labor Secretary …
Friday, February 22, 2013
The tower would be used in emergencies to clear the Purple Line tunnel of smoke, according to a planning staff memo.
The Maryland Transit Administration is proposing a 92-foot ventilation tower be placed in popular Woodmont Plaza as part of an emergency ventilation system for the planned Purple Line, according to a county planning staff memo. The memo provides a series of updates on how the planned, 16-mile light rail and re-constructed Capital Crescent Trail would mesh with surrounding communities in Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. The memo was prepared for a Montgomery County Planning Board briefing set for Feb. 28. The $2.2 billion project is in early design stages, but not yet fully funded. The proposed location of the tower in the heavily used public plaza is "not ideal," planning staff wrote, though there are "many ways that MTA can …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Montgomery County Executive delivered the address Wednesday in Silver Spring.
Issuing his first State of the County address in four years, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett detailed new education and development initiatives, The Washington Examiner reported. Leggett (D) hopes to promote adult-level English classes to "make it easier for English-as-a-second-language residents to master the language, enabling them to get better jobs and expand the county's tax base," according to the report. The County Executive also wants to create an after-school program to help underachieving students. The proposal would "expand the current 'Excel Beyond the Bell' program—an after-school support system available in just a few middle schools in the county—to all middle schools," according to the report. Read the full text of…
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
'Get Maryland Moving' is calling on the Maryland General Assembly to fund state transportation projects.
A new coalition is advocating for dollars for state transportation projects, including the planned 16-mile Purple Line light rail that would connect Bethesda with New Carrollton, The Washington Post reports. Get Maryland Moving, a coalition of groups, including the Montgomery County and Bethesda-Chevy Chase chambers of commerce, Purple Line Now, Action Committee for Transit, and the League of Women Voters of Maryland, is pushing for state legislators to make new revenue for transportation projects a top priority this legislative session, according to the group’s website. Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach has proposed a 3-cent gas tax that would raise about $300 million for transportation …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Montgomery County officials are blasting a state transportation funding plan that calls for re-allocating money earmarked for the two projects if lawmakers can't drum up more funds.
Members of the Montgomery County Council are urging state transportation officials against delaying funding for the Purple Line and the Corridor Cities Transitway. Lawmakers in Annapolis are struggling with ways to fund state transportation projects, including the 16-mile Purple Line light rail that would connect Bethesda with New Carrollton and the upcounty bus rapid transit route. Maryland Senate president Thomas V. Mike Miller has proposed a 3 percent gas tax that would raise about $300 million for transportation projects, Patch reported. But without a funding increase, a state transportation funding plan calls for re-allocating the money earmarked for the two projects and Baltimore’s Red Line within the Maryland Transit Administration’…
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
“The citizens are hurting. They can’t take any more tax increases," believes Maryland House Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell, reports the Baltimore Business Journal.
Maryland House Minority Leader Anthony O'Donnell has called for a delay in the Purple Line and Baltimore's Red Line, saying proposed tax increases to fund the light rail projects would be too costly for taxpayers, the Baltimore Business Journal reports. In Annapolis this legislative session, lawmakers are grappling with ways to fund the Purple Line, Red Line and other transportation projects. Maryland Senate President Mike Miller has proposed a 3 percent gas tax that would raise up to $300 million for transportation, and jurisdictions would be able to tack on another 5 cents per gallon to pay for local transportation projects, Patch reported. O’Donnell, R-St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, said the Purple and Red Line projects should be put…
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Catch up on headlines this week from across Montgomery County.
A 130-year-old local grocery chain is closing up shop; a North Potomac resident nicknamed "The Turbanator" advances to the next round of American Idol; and Montgomery County councilmembers pledge to increase police presence in schools. These are just a few of the stories Patch reported this week. Get caught up on top headlines here. Magruder's Closing All Locations GAITHERSBURG—Magruder's is closing all four of its supermarkets, including Montgomery County's Gaithersburg and Rockville locations, but they may re-open under new ownership in the future. Read more on Gaithersburg Patch. Man Guilty of Running Prostitution Ring from Rockville Pike Hotel ROCKVILLE—He’s been dubbed “The Pimp on the Pike.” Now, Nahshon Kornegay, 31, of District …
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Catch up on the top news in Montgomery County this week.
Report: Study Shows ICC Speed Limit Can Safely Increase To 60 MPH GAITHERSBURG—An engineering study of the ICC has concluded that the speed of the highway can safely be raised to 60 mph, pending an analysis of crash data. Read more on Gaithersburg Patch. Montgomery Village Man Killed In Gaithersburg Crash GAITHERSBURG—A 21-year-old Montgomery Village man was killed early Sunday in the collision of his Honda Civic and another car on Snouffer School Road in Gaithersburg. Read more at Gaithersburg Patch. New Renderings Unveiled For Bethesda Purple Line Station BETHESDA -- Maryland Transit Administration officials unveiled new renderings Tuesday for the Bethesda station on the planned Purple Line. Funding for the 16-mile light rail line …
Eric S.
10:14 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
Because no regular mortal can afford a house anywhere near Bethesda, but plenty of people work in the area? Double that with the crapton of people coming in one stop away at Medical Center. The beltway is crowded enough as it is in that direction, and could use some relief. This is a way more useful East-West route than the ICC. (Apologies if this posts twice. Patch keeps eating my comments.) more ›