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Non-Light Rail Options
No-Build, TSM, and BRT
This is from the Proposed Functional Master Plan (January, 2008).
Alternative 1 – No Build.
This is the “baseline alternative” that assumes the status quo.
Alternative 2 – Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative.
This alternative features upgraded transit service with improvements that are not capital intensive. Examples include more frequent service with limited stops, signal prioritization, enhanced shelters and passenger information systems, queue jumpers to improve travel time, etc. The improvements would be for bus service that would operate over existing streets in outside lanes shared with other traffic.
Alternative 3 – Low Investment BRT via Jones Bridge Road.
This alternative is characterized by BRT service operating from the Bethesda Medical Center Station in shared lanes via Woodmont Avenue (with a stop at or near the Medical Center Metrorail Station) and Jones Bridge Road until it crosses Jones Mill Road at grade and enters the Master Plan right of way. “Low Investment” in this case refers to the capital cost investment relative to other alternatives and for the most part is a reflection of the extent the alignment is separated from conflict points. In this alternative for instance, the crossings at Connecticut Avenue, Jones Mill Road, and Georgia Avenue (after exiting the Silver Spring Transit Center (SSTC) are all assumed to be at-grade. The alignment enters Silver Spring on the south side of the CSX corridor at grade with 16th and Springs Streets. Access to the SSTC is provided via Spring Street and Second Avenue in shared lanes to Wayne Avenue. All of the other "build" alternatives access the SSTC from the west via the CSX corridor. The primary alignment for this alternative east of the SSTC is along Wayne Avenue at grade to Flower Avenue, Piney Branch Road and then University Boulevard to the planned Takoma Park / Langley Park Transit Center.
Alternative 4 – Medium Investment BRT via Master Plan Alignment.
This alignment consists of BRT service operating over the Master Plan alignment. Westbound buses would exit the Master Plan right of way at Pearl Street and operate over a counter-clockwise loop via the Bethesda Metrorail Station and Woodmont Avenue in order to re-enter the Master Plan right of way to proceed eastbound toward Silver Spring. This alternative includes an aerial crossing of Connecticut Avenue and a below grade crossing of Jones Mill Road. The alignment enters Silver Spring on the south side of the CSX corridor at grade with 16th and Springs Streets and then is on an aerial structure east of the Falkland Apartments that crosses over to the north side of the CSX tracks and into the SSTC. The buses would exit the SSTC on Bonifant and proceed at grade to Wayne Avenue where they would operate in dedicated lanes to Flower Avenue and Arliss Street. The buses would then operate in dedicated lanes on University Avenue to the Takoma Langley Transit Center before continuing on to the University of Maryland and New Carrollton.
Alternative 5 – High Investment BRT via Master Plan Alignment.
“High Investment” BRT consists of the alignment described above for Alternative Four until 16th and Springs Streets where the crossing is below grade. The vehicles would enter the SSTC from the west via an aerial structure east of the Falklands that crosses to the north side of the CSX tracks. Exiting the SSTC buses would access Wayne via a tunnel and surface just east of Cedar Street, operating in dedicated lanes. In the Long Branch area, the buses would reach Arliss Street from Wayne Avenue via a tunnel under Plymouth Street. West of the SSTC, there are design options for this alternative that include an alignment on the north side of the CSX right of way that is accomplished through an aerial crossing of the CSX right of way west of the Falkland Apartments. There is another design option east of the SSTC that consists of a deep bore tunnel under Silver Spring and Thayer Avenues. This alignment would surface behind East Silver Spring Elementary School and cross Sligo Creek on an aerial structure before heading on to Flower Avenue and University Boulevard, eventually utilizing a grade separated crossing of New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650).
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Light Rail Options -- Low, Medium and High Investment (Cost)
Alternative 6 – Low Investment LRT via Master Plan Alignment.
From Bethesda to the SSTC, this alignment is essentially the same as Alternative Four except that the western terminal point station is in the tunnel under Wisconsin Avenue with the LRT tracks extending west toward Woodmont Avenue. Access to the Bethesda Metrorail Station is provided via high capacity elevators that would connect with the south end of the existing Bethesda Metrorail station platform. In this alternative, the adjacent trail does not extend through the tunnel – it is routed to Elm Street through the park. West of the SSTC, there are design options for this alternative that include an alignment on the north side of the CSX right of way that is accomplished through an aerial crossing of the CSX right of way west of the Falklands. The light rail vehicles would exit the SSTC on Bonifant Street using a shared lane and proceed at grade to Wayne Avenue where they would operate in a shared lane. In the Long Branch area, the vehicles would reach Arliss Street from Wayne Avenue via a tunnel under Plymouth Street and then at grade in dedicated lanes to the Takoma Langley Transit Center.
Alternative 7 – Medium Investment LRT via Master Plan Alignment.
The primary alignment for this alternative is the same as Alternative Six except for an aerial crossing of Connecticut Avenue and the use of dedicated lanes on Bonifant Street.
Alternative 8 – High Investment LRT via Master Plan Alignment.
In Bethesda, this alternative features the adjacent trail extending through the tunnel (on an elevated path over the LRT vehicles). This alternative (as well asall other “build” alternatives) locates the trail on the north side of the alignment between Pearl Street and a point just west of Jones Mill Road, a change from prior concept plans. Between Bethesda and the SSTC the rest of the alignment is the same as Alternative Seven except that there is a design option to cross the CSX tracks west of the Falklands Apartments rather than east of the apartments (similar to Alternatives Five and Six). Exiting the SSTC, the primary alignment is via a deep tunnel to Wayne Avenue. The Silver Spring Avenue / Thayer Avenue tunnel is a design option for this alternative exiting the SSTC. The remainder of the alignment is the same as Alternative Six and Seven.
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