Purple Line Work Session

Purple Line AA/DEIS

December 8, 2008
 New Starts Project Development Process

Systems Planning Alternatives Analysis

Locally Preferred
Alternative We are
Here
FTA Decision on
Entry into PE
Management

Preliminary Engineering
Oversight
Project

FTA Decision on
Entry into Final Design

Full Funding
Final Design Grant Agreement

Construction
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 New Start Steps – Next Year

• Locally Preferred Alternative – February - March 2009

– Phase II Travel Forecasting Model Refinement – Start
January 2009
– Phase II Model Application – April - May 2009
• Future No Build
• Future Baseline - Project Justification
• LPA - Land Use
- Financial
• New Start Criteria Submission →
- Project Management Plan
June 2009
- Institutional/Technical Capacity
• Project Rating – July 2009
• Request for Permission for Entry into Preliminary
Engineering – August 2009
• Preliminary Engineering/FEIS – Fall 2009

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 Next Steps and Schedule

Circulation of the AA/DEIS October 17, 2008 –

(public comment period) Jan 14, 2009
Public Hearings November 2008
Selection of Locally Preferred February – March 2009
Alternative
New Starts Submission June 2009
Request Permission to Enter August 2009
Preliminary Engineering
FEIS/ROD 2010
Request Permission to Enter Final 2010
Design
Full Funding Grant Agreement 2011
Construction 2012 - 2015
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 Capacity for LRT compared to BRT
• 120 Pass/Bus x 10 Buses/Hour = 1,200 spaces per direction
• 120 Pass/Bus x 15 Buses/Hour = 1,800 spaces per direction

• Too Close For Comfort Given Interface

With Rail?
• Are Ridership Forecasts Considered
Conservative?
Peak Hour Peak
Alternative Location Direction Directional Hour
Line Load Capacity
Low Investment Rt. 1/UM East to Eastbound -
1,087 2,100
BRT Metro PM
Med Investment Eastbound -
SSTC to 16th Street 1,652 2,100
BRT PM

High Investment SSTC to 16th Street Eastbound -

1,858 2,100
BRT PM

Low Investment SSTC to 16th Street Eastbound -

2,147 2,800
LRT PM
Medium SSTC to 16th Street Eastbound -
2,239 2,800
Investment LRT PM
High Investment SSTC to 16th Street Eastbound -
2,533 2,800
LRT PM
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 Single Track vs. Double Tracking
Single Track & Impacts on Capacity
• Number of Stations On Single Track Segments
• Length of Single Track Segment
• Whether Multiple Or Single Track Segments
• How Much Variability
In Running Time

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 Single Track vs. Double Tracking
Purpose and Outreach Report
“The Georgetown Branch Trolley track between Bethesda and Silver Spring is a distance of 4.4 miles
(22,585 feet). Of the 22,585 feet of track, only 8,320 linear feet consisted of double track.

All of the light rail alternatives being examined in the DEIS/AA now underway include a double track
corridor.

As a result, the Functional Master Plan will

either confirm or modify what is currently a
single-track alignment (going east) over the
following (approximate) segments.

•Pearl Street through Columbia Country Club

to a point just west of Connecticut Avenue
(MD 185)
•Beginning just west of Jones Mill Road
and extending over Rock Creek Park
•From Stewart Avenue south along the
CSX right of way to Springwood Drive South
•Apple Avenue to just south (or east) of
Colesville Road”
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 Funding the Purple Line
20 Year Projection of Transit System Expansion Costs – “The Big Four” “The Big Four”
• Purple Line
• CCT
• Red Line
• Green Line

WMATA 8 - Car Trains

Ride-On Expansion

System
Preservation
Operating
Costs
 Jones Bridge Road Alternatives
Cost Effectiveness Average
Annual
Total Capital Costs (CE) Measure – Weekday
Alternative Operating Costs Notes
(2007) Annualized Cost Per Boardings –
(2007)
Hour Of User Benefit 2030
Medium
$579,820,000 $17,300,000 $14.01 51,800
Investment BRT
Medium Reviewed In
Investment BRT Response To Town
$597,000,000 $17,300,000 $15.62 50,000
via Jones Bridge of Chevy Chase
Road Concerns
Medium Included By MTA
Investment BRT For Comparison
via Branch & $585,000,000 $18,300,000 $13.34 58,000 With Medium
Extended To Investment BRT via
Medical Center Jones Bridge Road
 Jones Bridge Road Alternatives
% Increase % Increase
TAZ HH / - HH / - Jobs / - Jobs / -
Description Over 25 Over 25
# 2005 2030 2005 2030
Years Years
Area
NIH/National Library of
24 1 1 0% 50 61 22%
Medicine
Bethesda CBD 5 21 48 133% 62 68 10%
Bethesda CBD 4 16 30 89% 137 158 15%
Bethesda CBD 3 18 28 61% 76 87 15%
National Naval Medical
26 0 0 0% 25 32 31%
/ USUHS
 Trail on Georgetown Branch ROW
Transitway & hiker/biker trail require 66’ ROW
• Current interim trail 15 - 20’
• Purple Line & permanent trail 60 - 66’
o Transitway 30’
o Trail 14’
o Separation/walls/structures/noise barriers/visual screening 16 - 22’

GOALS
• Trail 3-4’ above level of
transitway (approx 1-1.5 mi)

• 7-10’ landscaped buffer

between trail & transitway
where possible
 Trail on Georgetown Branch ROW
Issues
• Funding – “Separate Funding
Program”
• Trail Width – Is 2’ + 12’ + 2’
Feasible?
• Minimization & Mitigation
 Silver Spring & Wayne Ave. Alignment
Cost Effectiveness (CE) Average
Annual
Total Capital Measure – Annualized Weekday
Alternative Operating Costs Notes
Costs (2007) Cost Per Hour Of User Boardings –
(2007)
Benefit 2030
Medium Investment
$1,220,150,000 $25,000,000 $22.82 62,600
LRT
“Hybrid”
Medium Investment
Alternative
LRT With Tunnel $1,330,000,000 $24,000,000 $22.89 64,700
Analyzed By MTA
From SSTC To East Of
At Request Of Staff
High Investment LRT $1,634,840,000 $22,200,000 $23.71 68,100
 Prince George’s County & Takoma Park
City of Takoma Park Prince George’s County –
Favors Medium Investment Council Chairman’s Statement
LRT… Favors Light Rail…
• Critical to joint economic • In Adopted 2002 General
revitalization efforts in the Plan
Takoma/Langley commercial
• Connects Metrorail Green &
district
Orange Line
• Essential to efforts to serve
• Critical to vision of Area &
transit dependent population
Sector Plans for our
• BRT would not meet Developed Tier
ridership demand
• Promotes transit oriented
• BRT would not give the growth that is both smart &
strong economic “shot in the sustainable
arm”
 Station Area Planning
Bethesda

Silver Spring

• Station Function / Role Refinement

• Land Use
• Pedestrian Connectivity
• Gentrification
• Workforce Housing Inventory
• Other Issues

Long Branch & Takoma Langley

 Public Hearing Sample Summary
• AA/DEIS Does Not Recognize True Impact On Trail Interim Trail
Environment & Setting – Takes Legal View - Not
Realistic View – Wholesale Removal of Trees and
Vegetation Downplayed – No Mitigation Proposed

• Purple Line Impact On Adjacent Homes Not Fully

Examined

• Cost and Funding Largely Ignored In Document

• Purple Line Offers Only Real Opportunity For

Lasting Improvement Providing Connection With
Regional Trail Network

• Consistent With Master Plan Vision For Trail & Train

To Co-Exist On ROW

• Trail Needs To Be Wider Than 2 + 10 + 2 = 14 Feet –

2 + 12 + 2 = 16 Feet Would Be Better
 Public Hearing Sample Summary
Jones Bridge Road

• Was Not Seriously Examined As True

Alternative In AA/DEIS

• Alignment Was Previously Rejected By

Planning Board – Significant Impact & Not
Consistent With Master Plan

• Only Alignment That Acknowledges BRAC

Impact
 Public Hearing Sample Summary
Bethesda – Chevy Chase

• Purple Line is Smart Growth – Connecting

Trails, Metrorail, Commuter Rail, Local &
Regional Bus.

• Purple Line Travel Time Advantage Is Real

& This Is Last Opportunity To Provide That
In Built Up Area.
 Public Hearing Sample Summary
•Silver Spring / Thayer Ave Tunnel Design Option Should Silver Spring
Be Dropped Entirely – Most Impacts Of Any Alternative

•Tunnel Under Wayne Ave. To Around Mansfield Road Is

Cost-Effective, Would Reduce Impacts On Adjacent
Properties, and Is Not Being Given Adequate
Consideration. AA/DEIS Fails To Adequately Analyze
Impacts Upon Key Intersections

•Surface Alignment On Wayne Ave. Is Both Preferable

and More Cost-Effective - Adds a Library Stop, Improves
Traffic Flow, and Helps Activate Streets In CBD Core

•Do Not Need Station At Dale Drive

•Purple Line Will Open Door For More Development,

Gentrification, and Loss Of Affordable Housing

•Purple Line Will Improve Job Access, Mobility, and

Quality of Life
 Public Hearing Sample Summary
Long Branch & Takoma/Langley

• Favor Purple Line But Concerned

About Gentrification and Affordable
Housing

• Small Businesses Could Be

Vulnerable

• Place Emphasis On Pedestrian

Safety