GOVERNOR O’MALLEY COMMENDS MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL DECISION ON PURPLE LINE

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following the unanimous affirmative vote in the Montgomery County Council making the Purple Line part of Montgomery County’s Master Plan. With public input, the Montgomery County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the updated Purple Line Functional Master Plan:

I applaud members of the Montgomery County Council for their leadership in helping to move the Purple Line forward and improve cross-county mass transit access in Maryland and the Washington suburbs. The unanimous decision to approve the Purple Line Functional Master Plan sends a clear message, with one voice, that the Purple Line is a transportation priority for Montgomery County and its residents. The vote firmly supports the alignment we announced last summer and the county will now incorporate the Purple line in its planning and development decisions going forward. From a perspective of energy conservation, reducing Beltway congestion and improving quality of life, the Purple Line is an important facet of Maryland’s commitment to facilitating smart and sustainable growth.

The plan for the 16-mile light rail line between Bethesda in Montgomery County and New Carrollton in Prince George’s County addresses station locations, alignment of the route and calls for added access points to the adjacent Capital Crescent Trail. The Maryland Transit Administration has submitted the Purple Line to the Federal Government for approval and to allow it to compete for federal funding.