As Virginia sees the completion of new express lanes and the extension of the Silver Line on the Metro towards Vienna, Maryland lawmakers are hoping to get funding approved for the proposed Purple Line, a light-rail track that will run between Bethesda and New Carrollton. The project will hopefully help with traffic, and provide an alternative mode of transportation between Prince George’s County and Montgomery County–as it is now, public transit commuters have to ride slowly through the entire city. The convenience offered by the Purple Line should ease traffic concerns on the Beltway.
Supporters of the project are eager to secure state funding for at least 40-50% this year in order to qualify for grants from the Federal Transit Administration, which will reportedly give out about $900 in grants this year. The proposal for the Purple Line estimates that the project will cost around $2.15 million. Lawmakers are concerned that the Maryland Transportation Trust Fund needs to be replenished, and state transportation revenues needs to increase for a project like this to be feasible.
