Governor Hogan,
I heard about the Purple Line proposal that has been circulating for awhile now. After doing more research, I have concluded that I do not believe that we should build the new light rail because of the impact that it will have on the environment, the businesses in the new area, and the expenses.
As you may know, the construction of the new Purple Line will cause damage to Rock Creek Park and the Capital Crescent Trail. The Purple Line would displace the current Capital Crescent Trail. From a merely aesthetic standpoint, the park would have a completely different atmosphere, and lose it’s natural beauty. Many people use the trail for biking, hiking, etc., and would have an issue with limited access to the trail as a resource. …show more content…
The Washington Post Article, “True cost of Purple Line could reach $2.65 billion, analysis finds” includes good information on the expenses of the new light rail line. The originally anticipated cost was about $1.99 billion in early 2016. However, later it was found that certain expenses were not accounted for. For example, $477 million construction costs were not accounted for, which includes “buying right-of-way, doing off-site environmental mitigation, doing utility work, reviewing the final design and overseeing construction.” Additionally, $198 million dollars that were already spent on planning were not factored into the overall number. It was also determined that “the state would pay for the line’s electricity and fare collection enforcement in addition to the monthly availability payments. State officials have said those monthly payments would average $150 million annually.” Plus, electricity is estimated to be $2 million annually. Additional fees for the power plants that will support the Purple Line will be present as well. That just seems like a lot of money, and it doesn’t seem wise to spend that much money on this form of
I heard about the Purple Line proposal that has been circulating for awhile now. After doing more research, I have concluded that I do not believe that we should build the new light rail because of the impact that it will have on the environment, the businesses in the new area, and the expenses.
As you may know, the construction of the new Purple Line will cause damage to Rock Creek Park and the Capital Crescent Trail. The Purple Line would displace the current Capital Crescent Trail. From a merely aesthetic standpoint, the park would have a completely different atmosphere, and lose it’s natural beauty. Many people use the trail for biking, hiking, etc., and would have an issue with limited access to the trail as a resource. …show more content…
The Washington Post Article, “True cost of Purple Line could reach $2.65 billion, analysis finds” includes good information on the expenses of the new light rail line. The originally anticipated cost was about $1.99 billion in early 2016. However, later it was found that certain expenses were not accounted for. For example, $477 million construction costs were not accounted for, which includes “buying right-of-way, doing off-site environmental mitigation, doing utility work, reviewing the final design and overseeing construction.” Additionally, $198 million dollars that were already spent on planning were not factored into the overall number. It was also determined that “the state would pay for the line’s electricity and fare collection enforcement in addition to the monthly availability payments. State officials have said those monthly payments would average $150 million annually.” Plus, electricity is estimated to be $2 million annually. Additional fees for the power plants that will support the Purple Line will be present as well. That just seems like a lot of money, and it doesn’t seem wise to spend that much money on this form of