Community Corner
VIDEO: Campus Community Weighs in on Purple Line
Funding for the light rail could draw from highway repair funds or a proposed gas tax hike.
The Maryland Transit Administration endorsed its planned District suburb light rail, the Purple Line, at an open house at the University of Maryland earlier this week.
, and if it would really cut down on travel times, others are confident it will make College Park a more attractive place to live and learn. (See video for more.)
The is set to cut through the city with a stop at the existing College Park-University of Maryland metro and three stops on campus.
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The project was just , during which design plans will become more detailed and complete. The new stage also qualifies the project for federal funds. Highway repair funds or a Maryland could help subsidize the line, the Capital News Service reported.
Construction cost for the Purple Line is .
Find out what's happening in College Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
But, the cost of the Purple Line is going up, particularly for Montgomery County, The Washington Post reported. It's because the Capital Crescent Trail and possibly a tunnel in Bethesda must be rebuilt. Montgomery County would be responsible for the cost of rebuilding the trail, but county officials said they would seek some money from the state, according to The Post.
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