Purple Line Functional Master Plan
The Purple Line, a proposed 16-mile light rail line, will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton and provide direct connections to Metrorail, local and inter-city bus, the MARC train and Amtrak. An east-west route connector for Montgomery and Prince George's counties, the Purple Line has been under study since 1992. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) heads the Purple Line project.
View the proposed Purple Line full route map.
Download the approved and adopted Purple Line Functional Plan (pdf, 17MB), a series of recommendations for the proposed transit line’s route, mode and stations.
NOTE: The many graphics in the plan result in a download time of about five minutes; consider downloading section 1 (pdf, 9.9MB) and section 2(pdf, 8.7MB) separately.
Background
In January 2009, the Planning Board issued its recommendations on the Purple Line route and mode, agreeing with its transportation planning staff that it should run on light rail rather than bus rapid transit. Light rail can better handle the expected ridership, forecast to reach 2,000 passengers during the busiest weekday hour in the year 2030, planners say. Later that winter, the County Council agreed with the Board recommendations and forwarded it to the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), which is in charge of the project. In summer 2009, Gov. Martin O'Malley decided on light rail and began to pursue federal funding.
Functional plan schedule
2010
- September 8: Full Commission approved Planning Board Draft Purple Line Functional Plan with amendments
- July 29: Planning Board submits Resolution to Full Commission
- July 27: County Council approved Planning Board Draft Purple Line Functional Plan with amendments in Resolution
- July 20: County Council Work Session
- June 29: County Council Public Hearing at 7:30 pm
- July 15: T & E Committee Work Session
- May & June 2010: County Executive Fiscal Review of the Functional Plan
- April 2010: Planning Board transmits final draft of Purple Line Functional Plan to County Council
- April 8: Planning Board Approved Planning Board Draft Purple Line Functional Plan
- Staff memo
- Attachment A
- Attachment B (track changes from last report)
- Staff presentation
- March 4: Planning Board Work Session
- Staff report
- Attachment A (DOT comments)
- Attachment B (public comments)
- Attachment C (Town of Chevy Chase)
- Attachment D (Executive Branch)
- MTA response
- MTA response to noise comments
- Staff presentation
- February 12: End of public comment period for the Purple Line Functional Plan Public Hearing Draft
2009
- December 10: Planning Board Public Hearing for the Purple Line Functional Plan
- Purple Line Functional Plan (6.5 MB) The Purple Line Public Hearing Draft Report is an 11x17 document.
- October 29: Planning Board to consider draft Purple Line functional plan and set public hearing
- September 22: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Agenda | Meeting summary | Staff and MTA presentation | Meeting handouts - August 4: Governor O'Malley announced a Locally Preferred Alternative. Click here for more information.
- May 19: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - April 28: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Agenda | Meeting summary | Staff presentation | Meeting handouts - March 18: M-NCPPC Commission meeting received a presentation given by MTA, Montgomery County and Prince George's County.
- January 27: County Council voted on the Purple Line. To view a copy of the transcript click here.
- January 15: Planning Board votes for the public transportation project to take the form of light rail rather than bus rapid transit, the biggest consideration of a host of recommendations. Read the press release.
- January 8, 2009: Planning Board holds Purple Line public hearing
- Planner Recommendations to Planning Board for January 8, 2009 meeting.
2008
- December 2008: 90-day review complete
- December 9: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
- December 8 : Planning Board Work Session
Staff memo| Presentation - November 2008: Public hearings
Meeting Summaries (Nov. 15, 18, 19, 22) - October 28 : Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - October 17, 2008: MTA released draft environmental impact statement; 90-day review period began
- October 14 : Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary - October 1 : Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary - September 16: Master Plan Advisory Committee
meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - September 2 : Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - August 5: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation| MTA presentation - July 31: Prince George's & Montgomery Counties Delegates Briefing
- July 22: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - June 17: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Staff presentation | Meeting handouts - May 20: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - April 15 : Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
MTA transit briefing to Planning Board
Meeting summary | Staff presentation - March 18 : Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation | BRAC travel assumptions - February 19: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | Staff presentation | Meeting handouts | MTA presentation | Capital Crescent Trail questions - January 22: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary | MTA presentation | Meeting handouts - January 17: Planning Board meeting
Staff presentation
2007
- December 18: Purple Line Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary - December 4: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Meeting summary - November 15: Purple Line Advisory Committee meeting
Staff presentation | Meeting summary - October 15: Public orientation session
Staff summary, The Basics of the Purple Line: Questions & Answers - October 27: Public orientation session
Staff presentation, including sample photos and the estimated schedule - October 30: Master Plan Advisory Committee meeting
Staff presentation | MTA presentation | Meeting summary - September 2007: Planning Board approves master plan advisory committee
- May 2007: Planning Board approves draft Purpose and Outreach Strategy Report, beginning Purple Line functional master plan process
Montgomery Planning Board’s role
The Board weighs planners’ recommendations and sends its input to the County Council and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). Its decision concerns only the Montgomery County section of the Purple Line.
The Planning Board provides recommendations to the Montgomery County Council on the Purple Line’s alignment, mode (light rail or rapid bus), and an adjacent hiker/biker trail. The Planning Board also will recommend a master plan to the Council that considers the best route for the line from Bethesda to the Prince George’s County line.
Working closely with Takoma Park and Prince George’s County officials as well as an advisory committee consisting of representatives from civic groups, businesses, residents, environmental organizations, property owners and the general public, Montgomery Planning Department staff will gather community input on issues expected to be examined as part of the MTA’s environmental impact report.
Learn the basics about the project from the planners' perspective.
M-NCPPC staff contacts
Tom Autrey, Transportation Planning
301-495-4533
Thomas.Autrey@montgomeryplanning.org
David Anspacher, Transportation Planning
301-495-2191
David.Anspacher@montgomeryplanning.org
Date of last update: June 20, 2012
Montgomery County Planning Department