Comments on: Purple Line Redux, Redux

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:23:20 +0000

I’m new to this discussion, so pardon my ignorance. (It’s a lifestyle thing, I’m used to it.) But have engineers or anyone considered splitting the difference between the MTA alignment and the Stadium Drive alignment, i.e. a route that spins off the M Circle and roughly follows Field House Drive?

It’s windy, yes, but not particularly hilly. There’s little pedestrian traffic to worry about. It takes rapid-bus/light rail traffic off Campus Drive but is still basically in the center of campus, serving Hornbake, the Union and Cole — just on the north side of those buildings instead of the south — and also putting a stop right at the door of Byrd, the alumni center and Clarice Smith. (That it would then run right behind the president’s house, well… ooops!)

A transit hub would be hard to fit into that alignment, except maybe in Lot 1 near the tennis courts and the alumni center. Just a thought. I’m curling into defensive posture now, feel free to flame away!

By: sandy

sandy — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:46:51 +0000

well seems like a nice plan.. But i am not comfortable with the line oing directly on campus drive. reason well its above the ground and it will look like a mess what design the support columns, tracks or the Rail has it wont look good.
It will like a cut across the center of face of a Movie hero ( ever seen one..Nhaa its always on side)
so i would prefer it running either way (Orange or Blue) as shown in the map above Not thru the campus drive
and for those who say that a stop at Stamp union will make it more accessible well can’t they walk like .30 miles..

By: Joe Dexter

Joe Dexter — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:08:33 +0000

I share Kevin’s antipathy about Mote-bashing which isn’t exactly the best way to lead to the desirable consensus on the Purple Line route. However, the administration isn’t exactly demonstrating the highest level of analysis in its evaluation of the Purple Line or any other transportation issues. How many options has it embraced over the past two months to avoid Campus Drive?

At the Visitor Center Focus Group meeting (Nov?), MTA Consultant Joel Oppenheimer reviewed the analysis of traffic pattern changes and demonstrated that a partial closure would result in minor spillover to other streets (Stadium, Paint Branch, Fieldhouse) if Campus Drive were partially closed. He pointed out that use of one of these other streets would require greater use of Campus Drive for traffic (obviously) to which the Assistant President, Dr. Anne Wylie said “we will worry about traffic on our own streets”.

Where is the evidence of this worry? The administration appears to have worried primarily about how best to launch a public relations campaign against the Campus Drive alignment, throwing every half baked argument into the bot like a freshman policital science essay deserving of a D-. The have evidently called for the closing of ranks in a manner that is heavy handed and absurd given that the initial focus of this campaign was the flawed Stadium Drive alignment rejected by the campus’ own transportation committee in 2003.

And now they are coming around to yet another option that is sure to be opposed by the Maryland Historical Trust and many others and that will add something like $100 million to the project cost for a tunnel and underground station. $100 million – almost the cost of the Clarice Smith Center, or the Comcast Center – and more than the typical University’s capital improvement budget each year. Enough for another two miles of at-grade alignment towards the New Carrollton terminus.

These facts underline the bottom line here which is that the University has an important role to play but proposals that are not grounded in good analysis and that add significant costs can not be acceptable to MTA, to the taxpayers of the State of Maryland or to the Federal Transit Administration.

The one thing I would disagree with Jeuill on regardings the expenditure of money to finalize a side-by-side comparison of alternatives. Do it! Let the University hire its own transportation planners to pick at it! Let the University community have an opportunity to review the full analysis – not in the form of one-sided presentations by VP Duncan to the Senate, or flawed e-mails by Dr. Wylie or the Terp Club Director to turn the process into a political one. Give the planning process some air and let the facts dictate the final outcome.

By: jeuill

jeuill — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:29:13 +0000

I agree with David. As a taxpayer and a student, it seems pointless to spend more money and more time on other alternatives when years of research have already been concluded. Don’t impede progress just because you don’t like the color. MTA has no incentive to force the President against his will or the will of the University. On the other hand, this Purple Line server a much wider community than just U of MD. If I’m not a student, and I want to go to the bank in the Student Union or grab something, would I prefer to walk from Stadium drive or some other location – possibly in the cold rain when I shouldn’t have to? It doesn’t make sense. I’ve been following this for a few months and I still haven’t seen a valid argument against the Campus Drive alignment. ALso, why does the safety issue keep coming up? AS if a student can’t get hit by any number of the buses and cars that travel on Campus Drive already. Has anybody ever heard of a pedestrian traffic management device? It’s called a walk signal! Don’t walk when there’s a train approaching. Walk when there is no train. Simple! Is that so hard to conceive?

By: David Daddio

David Daddio — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:11:52 +0000

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – every action Dr. Mote has taken on this issue has been based on a personal knee jerk reaction. Neither he nor Doug Duncan understand even the most basic components of the planning process. I certainly do not make such a statement litely. From every public statement they’ve made, from every private conversation I’ve had with major stakeholders, and from every internal letter I’ve read, I know this to be true. Sorry Keven, but let’s not get caught up in terrapin pride here. Dr. Mote has seriously faultered on this issue and his poor reputation in the community is only getting further damaged by this debacle. He needs to be held accountable, especially since he is recklessly asking for taxpayer money to fund the study of alignments that will never be built.

If Mote/Duncan don’t have time to investigate all the issues involved, they need to deffer to their staff or just let MTA handle this. This thing has gotten beyond ridiculous.