Save The Trail Petition

County Council Votes

to Study Single Tracking of Purple Line

because of  Light Rail's Impacts on the Trail

IN A SURPRISE VOTE, County Council Acknowledges Difficulties with Light Rail on Trail.

As expected, the  Montgomery County Council voted to recommend to the Governor building the light rail Purple Line along the Trail. For years, the Council has refused to consider the pleas of Trail users, or the fact that circumstances have changed in the 20 years since the Master Plan was written.

However, in a last minute surprise, the Council voted to ask the State to study single rather than double tracking  in some places, because of the narrow confines of the right-of-way. 

While single tracking is NOT a solution, the Council's request is significant because it is the first time that the County Council has publicly acknowledged that trees will be cut down along the Trail and that the corridor is too narrow  in places to  even widen the Trail from 10' as planned, to  12', which is the minimum width recommended by ASHTO standards for a safe Trail.

See: 

http://www.gazette.net/stories/01282009/wheanew201200_32479.shtml

You can also see a discussion between Councilmembers Elrich and Levanthal:

http://maryland-politics.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html 
(Jan. 29, Elrich and Leventhal Debate)

The Council's request to study single tracking sends an important message to the Governor --  Our grassroots efforts are working!  We are beginning to be heard by our public officials. 

A Purple Line on the Trail is a long way from a done deal. 

Community Consensus is an important criteria for receiving Federal Funding.  If our public officials are serious about their desire to obtain Federal funding for the Purple Line, we urge them to consider routes that will provide  a win-win situation -- routes that take cars off the road, improve Metro, and do not destroy the Trail.