Who is leading the push for a light rail along the trail?

 The Chevy Chase Land Company, which owns land all around the proposed light rail Purple Line station on Connecticut Avenue, has helped finance the effort.  The Action Committee for Transit (ACT) and its spin-off, the Purple Line NOW, are ceaseless in their efforts on behalf of a light rail --    but they are not supportive of any other form of transit, or any route other than the Trail.    (See Developer Interests.)

 

 

The Action Committee for Transit (ACT) claims it is a friend of the Trail -- is this true?

The Action Committee for Transit fought to keep the Trail closed; fought to keep the Tunnel closed; fought to prevent the re-building of the Trestle over Rock Creek Park.   Richard Hoye (Vice President of ACT) sent spam emails to Petition signers claiming that he and ACT are friends of the Trail -- but this is misleading.  The only trail they support is one along the light rail trains.

 

Who leads the efforts to Save the Trail?

District 18 State Senator Richard Madaleno and Delegates Al Carr and Jeff Waldstreicher,  the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Coalition, Rethinking the Purple Line, the Town of Chevy Chase, and Save the Trail Petition.

 

 

What impact would transit have on the Capital Crescent Trail between Bethesda and Georgetown?

 

If the trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring is degraded with trains or buses, hikers and bikers will shun this section, and the section between Bethesda and Georgetown will become even more dangerously overcrowded. 

 

 

Is Save the Trail Petition Opposed to Mass Transit?

No. The petition supports a range of sensible mass transit alternatives that do not destroy irreplaceable community greenspace, such as:

 

1) Tunneled  Metro between Bethesda and Silver Spring;

 

2) The Purple Line Loop (supported by County Executive Duncan) that would route trains along the Beltway from Silver Spring to Bethesda Medical Center.   More than 500 Trail supporters sent emails to the Governor asking MTA to study this alternative.

 

3) An “Outer Purple Line” (running from Rock Spring Park to Grosvenor, Wheaton, White Oak, Langley Park and College Park); and/or

 

4) An improved and expanded bus system providing more frequent express buses and flexible on-road routing.   

 

These alternatives do not threaten our precious urban green space.