Bethesda Actually

Just wanted to pass this along:

Transit Backers: Raise Gas Tax to Pay for Better Transit

Washington-area transit advocates today called on the legislature to raise the gasoline tax to build the Purple Line and Baltimore Red Line and expand the state’s MARC rail system.

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An interesting story on the latest Purple Line issues:

Peter Gray, vice chairman of the Coalition of the Capital Crescent Trail, favors an underground tunnel and believes an above-ground bike path would unnecessarily split the Capital Crescent Trail and the Georgetown Branch. The state and county should find a way to pay for the project, even if it is expensive, he said. “I mean, times are lean, but it would be a huge disservice to the trail and to the county to cut it in two,” Gray said.

Just received this update from Act and wanted to pass it along. What do you think — is the Purple line a good idea?

For Immediate Release
Tuesday morning, Oct. 26
Source: Action Committee for Transit
For more information: Ben Ross, 301-706-6826
EHRLICH CAMPAIGN ADMITS – MONEY IS THERE FOR LIGHT RAIL
“Not enough money” is just the excuse for opposition to Purple Line

In this morning’s Washington Post Robert Ehrlich’s campaign for Governor made the bombshell admission that the Maryland state budget does have enough money to build the key segment of the light rail Purple Line between Bethesda and Silver Spring.
The Post reported that “Ehrlich aides said stopping the Purple Line and a proposed rail project in Baltimore could save the state $300 million in engineering costs that could be spent instead on local road projects.”  The $300 million that the Ehrlich campaign wants to take out of the transit budget is equal to the cost of building light rail from Bethesda to Silver Spring, along the old railroad line that passes through Columbia Country Club.  This will be the busiest and fastest segment of the Purple Line, and was originally proposed in 1986 as stand-alone project.  Subsequent studies have consistently demonstrated that this light rail segment by itself would have great value.
“This shows once again that former governor Ehrlich’s claim that there isn’t enough money to build the Purple Line is just an excuse,” said Action Committee for Transit president Ben Ross.  “As Mr. Ehrlich admitted in a moment of candor in 2003, this is really about his campaign contributors at Columbia Country Club.”
ACT has summarized the records on the Purple Line of both Mr. Ehrlich and Governor O’Malley at a new website, www.PurpleLine2010.com .

NEW PURPLE LINE WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS GOVERNOR’S RACE
Volunteers at Beltway Exits Alert Commuters

 With the Purple Line already a defining issue in the race for governor of Maryland, the planned light rail line is moving further into the spotlight with a new website, PurpleLine2010.com, that highlights the candidates’ records on that issue. The website was compiled by the Action Committee for Transit, a citizen advocacy group that is independent of the candidates for office.
Volunteers from ACT and Purple Line Now are launching the website by taking to the highways Wednesday morning to announce it to the commuting public.  Drivers exiting the Beltway will see a series of signs held by the Purple Line supporters:
Enjoy Beltway Driving?
Vote Purple Line
www.PurpleLine2010.com
The signs will be displayed from 7:00 to 9:00 am at exits on the Beltway between Bethesda and New Carrollton.  The new rail line will run parallel to this highly congested section of the highway, offering commuters a way to avoid the traffic jams.
“With the Purple Line such an important issue in this election, voters need a way to get past the fluff and learn the facts,” commented Ralph Bennett, president of Purple Line Now, a coalition of citizen, environmental, labor, and business groups.  “We do this because we believe that an informed voter is the bedrock of the American system,” added Ben Ross, president of the Action Committee for Transit.  ACT has published scorecards showing candidate positions on the Purple Line and other transit issues in every state election since 1998.

Just to build on Raj’s post a couple of days ago, Gov. Martin O’Malley has actively promoted the Purple Line light rail in his bid for re-election.  The Purple Line is a 16-mile project that would connect Bethesda to New Carrollton via Silver Spring at a cost of almost $1.7 billion.  Full article here.

Some interesting Purple Line info:

Action Committee for Transit Releases Candidate Questionnaire Answers
Candidate responses to the Action Committee for Transit’s have been posted on the web.  The full text of all responses can be read here.

The answers show that political support for transit is increasing rapidly, reflecting the strong public sentiment demonstrated in last April’s Washington Post poll.  ACT president Ben Ross pointed in particular to the overwhelming support for the planned light rail Purple Line and the growing majority of legislators who favor studying ACT’s transit alternative to widening I-270.

Not that it stopped being political but now it looks like it will play a role in the race to be the next Governor. After plumping for rapid bus instead of light rail former Governor, and challenger, Ehrlich stated that:

“You have to be honest with people, and the honesty is the dollars aren’t there”

What do you think light rail or rapid bus for the purple line?