Color Me Purple: All About the Green

County planning commissioners would like to build the Purple Line in stages, but the project may not be eligible for the installment plan, said one guy from the state transit administration.

Requests for federal funding would require approval of all 14 miles of the bi-county light-rail line, said Mike Madden, spokesperson for the transit administration. Madden spoke at Thursday's planning board meeting in Silver Spring.

The Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program cuts checks for various projects, doling out $1.7 billion annually. However, Madden warned, "This project would have to compete with other projects around the country."

To make the Purple Line more competitive, the state must demonstrate its ability to cover initial costs as well as maintenance, Madden said. The best way to do that, he suggested, is to shoulder 50% of the project's total cost.

Underground rail service, similar to existing Metro lines, could cost $1.6 billion for the route between Bethesda and Silver Spring alone, Madden estimated.

Royce Hanson, chairperson of the planning commission, worried that an all-or-nothing request to fund the entire Purple Line route may not pass federal muster. "Either segments would be delayed, or not even built," he said.

State funds for Purple Line development total $30.8 million through 2008, the Washington Post reported recently. Contrary to previous statements from the transit administration, Madden acknowledged that state funds have not been allotted for the Purple Line after 2008.

Thanks again to RailPictures.net for the photo.