Save The Trail Petition

Testimony before the

COG Transportation Planning Board

May 20, 2009

Testimony of David Lublin,

 Councilmember, Town of Chevy Chase

My name is David Lublin and I am a Councilmember in the Town of Chevy Chase.  I am surprised to see that this Committee is considering amending the CLRP to include the light-rail version of the Purple Line as the State has yet to choose its preferred alternative. 

A decision to focus on light rail makes no sense in terms of air quality and pollution as bus-rapid transit clearly emits fewer pollutants as shown by the State’s own study.

 It further makes no sense from either an environmental or an urban planning perspective to place this proposed transit line on the Capital Crescent Trail, resulting in the removal of thousands of trees and the decimation of a treasured park and scarce green space in a fast-growing urban area. 

While the State’s drawings show trees sprouting around the light-rail Purple Line, the lack of right-of-way and the need to protect catenary wires will prevent replanting in most areas. 

The choice of light rail on the Trail makes especially little sense because BRT off the Trail can carry almost as many people for far less cost. 

Indeed, MTA’s estimates inflate the ridership numbers for the light rail by including people from outside the appropriate catchment areas and the reliance on an older version of the Council of Governments model prior to the current version which takes into account the enormous planned developments by the Medical Center Metro stop.   This failure to properly estimate ridership is consistent with the MTA’s past failure to properly gauge demand for Baltimore’s existing underutilized light-rail system. 

BRT further makes sense as it is being considered or planned for virtually all other transit routes in the area, including a regional BRT plan from Laurel to Lorton developed by COG’s Transportation Planning Board. 

We shouldn’t introduce another mode of transit different from Metro requiring its own separate cars and maintenance for just one line.  We need to maximize scarce transit dollars during these times when demand for transit is so high and fiscal resources short. 

Why opt for more expensive light rail system which will destroy a park and emit more pollution when another equivalent alternative is available?