Table of Contents
STAFF RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................................................ 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 7
1. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 9
Purpose and Need...................................................................................................................................... 9
Project History ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Master Planning and Development Review Context .............................................................................. 11
General Description of The Purple Line ................................................................................................. 11
Alternatives Not Retained For Detailed Study........................................................................................ 13
Existing Transit Service in the Purple Line Corridor.............................................................................. 16
Profile of the Service Area ...................................................................................................................... 19
Forecasted Growth .................................................................................................................................. 20
Definition of Alternatives ....................................................................................................................... 23
Service Profile of the Build Alternatives ................................................................................................ 32
Estimates of Ridership, Costs, and Cost Effectiveness ........................................................................... 33
Master Plan Advisory Group (MPAG) ................................................................................................... 34
2. PREFERRED PURPLE LINE MODE ........................................................................................... 36
Vehicle Capacity ..................................................................................................................................... 36
Vehicle Emissions and Greenhouse Gas Impacts ................................................................................... 38
Vehicle Noise and Vibration ................................................................................................................... 38
Master Plan Conformance and Urban Design......................................................................................... 40
Georgetown Branch Master Plan Amendment, January 1990 ............................................................. 40
Bethesda - Chevy Chase Master Plan, April 1990 .............................................................................. 41
Silver Spring Central Business District Sector Plan, March 2000 ...................................................... 41
East Silver Spring Master Plan, December 2000 and Takoma Park Master Plan, December 2000... 41
Urban Design and Economic Development ............................................................................................ 42
Cost, Cost Effectiveness, and Ridership ................................................................................................. 50
Public Testimony .................................................................................................................................... 54
Summary of Analysis of the Preferred Mode For The Purple Line ........................................................ 54
3. PREFERRED PURPLE LINE ALIGNMENT ................................................................................ 56
Station Area Issues.................................................................................................................................. 56
Estimated Ridership ............................................................................................................................ 56
Walk Access ........................................................................................................................................ 58
Urban Design and Economic Development ........................................................................................ 61
Jones Bridge Road Alignment ................................................................................................................ 61
Wayne Avenue ........................................................................................................................................ 62
Silver Spring / Thayer Design Option..................................................................................................... 66
Master Plan Conformance....................................................................................................................... 67
Georgetown Branch Trail ....................................................................................................................... 68
Silver Spring Green Trail (Wayne Avenue) ........................................................................................... 70
4
Parks Impacts and Mitigation ................................................................................................................. 71
Historic Preservation ............................................................................................................................... 72
Environmental Planning.......................................................................................................................... 73
Traffic and Parking Impacts .................................................................................................................... 73
Community Impacts ................................................................................................................................ 77
Preinkert/Chapel Drive Design Option ................................................................................................... 80
Summary of Analysis of Factors In Recommending a Preferred Alignment ......................................... 80
4. ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR FURTHER STUDY ........................................................................... 83
Historic Preservation ............................................................................................................................... 83
Station Area Planning ............................................................................................................................. 83
Funding Transit ....................................................................................................................................... 84
The Purple Line Functional Plan ............................................................................................................ 85
Development Review .............................................................................................................................. 85
APPENDICES (under separate cover)
A. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
B. SUMMARY OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY
C. SUPPORTING STAFF MEMORANDA
5
LIST OF EXHIBITS
FIGURE 1 – Metrorail System and the Purple Line ................................................................................... 12
FIGURE 2 – Purple Line Corridor Bus Service ......................................................................................... 17
FIGURE 3 – Population Density ................................................................................................................ 19
FIGURE 4 – How We Get To Work........................................................................................................... 19
FIGURE 5 – Average Commute Time By Mode........................................................................................ 19
FIGURE 6 – Transportation Analysis Zones ............................................................................................. 19
FIGURE 7 – Capital Costs .......................................................................................................................... 51
FIGURE 8 – Annual Operating Costs......................................................................................................... 51
FIGURE 9 – Estimated Weekday Ridership (2030) ................................................................................... 52
FIGURE 10 – Cost Effectiveness ............................................................................................................... 52
FIGURE 11 – 20 Year Projection of Transit System Costs ........................................................................ 53
TABLE 1 – Capital Cost Comparison ........................................................................................................ 13
TABLE 2 – Existing Bus Service ............................................................................................................... 18
TABLE 3 – Existing Metrorail Service ...................................................................................................... 18
TABLE 4 – Forecasted Household Density ................................................................................................ 21
TABLE 5 – Forecasted Job Density ........................................................................................................... 22
TABLE 6 – Cost and Ridership .................................................................................................................. 33
TABLE 7 – Peak Load Point, Ridership, and Capacity .............................................................................. 36
TABLE 8 – Summary of Woodmont East Urban Design Issues ................................................................ 45
TABLE 9 – Representative BRT Benefits .................................................................................................. 49
TABLE 10 – Representative LRT Benefits ................................................................................................ 49
TABLE 11 – Ridership Overall .................................................................................................................. 56
TABLE 12 – Ridership By Station ............................................................................................................. 57
TABLE 13 – Preliminary Estimates of Property Takings for Surface Alignment ...................................... 65
TABLE 14 – Impacts On Intersection Level of Service – AM Peak Hour ................................................. 74
TABLE 15 – Impacts On Intersection Level of Service – PM Peak Hour ................................................. 75
TABLE 16 – Impact on On-Street Parking ................................................................................................. 76
