Color Me Purple: Rollercoaster of Love

Proposed Purple Line routes could take the project up, down and sideways through Silver Spring, according to a project update presented Thursday.

The line could run at street level (above), burrow through a tunnel or even coast up a 23-foot-high ramp. Its exact altitude would depend on the amount of money thrown at the project, said Mike Madden, a spokesperson for the state transit administration.

At the cheap end, the line would run at street level from Bethesda to New Carrollton. Bus rapid transit would cruise on either shared or dedicated lanes through Lyttonsville, Woodside, the proposed Silver Spring Transit Center and East Silver Spring.

One downer to this option would be the elimination of traffic lanes, particularly in East Silver Spring. Routes that use Sligo Avenue or Fenton Street would reduce the flow of auto traffic down to as little as one lane, Madden told the planning board. No definitive route through East Silver Spring was named.

At its priciest, the Purple Line would cruise through a tunnel under part of Lyttonsville and resurface just west of 16th Street in Woodside. Approaching the Silver Spring Transit Center, the light rail would ride an aerial structure built above the existing Metro line. It would tunnel again through East Silver Spring until it reaches University Boulevard in Takoma Park.

However, the high sticker price may be a turnoff for the new administration in Annapolis, said Allison Bryant, commissioner with the planning board.

"We will be briefing the new administration as soon as they come in. [Governor-elect Martin O'Malley] said he is committed to building the Purple Line," Madden responded.

Once again, major props go out to RailPictures.net for the photo.