WHY CAN'T WE EXAMINE

THE MTA CAPITAL CRESCENT

TRAIL REPORT?

State Planners Say "No!" to Trail in Bethesda

Purple Line Tunnel, But Where's Their Report?

The Maryland Transit Administration has told the Montgomery County Council that the Capital Crescent Trail should not continue to utilize the B&O Railroad Tunnel in Bethesda when the Purple Line is built.

But where is this written report? There is an article on the issue online from The Washington Post. But apparently we the people are not allowed to read the actual report. I have searched the MTA website, and spent half-an hour combing through the County Council website, only to come up empty handed.

I like to be able to analyze a report before judging it. Of course a tunnel alignment would be more expensive, but how thorough was the analysis?

This is an ongoing problem I've discussed before: lack of transparency in the county government. Despite all internet advances, county finances and line by line budget items remain unavailable in real time online.

As far as the new surface route for the trail, the current plan is to divert from the CCT as it and the Purple Line approach the Bethesda Row station. The trail would be moved onto a strip of 47th Street, then a right turn onto Leland St. and (after crossing Wisconsin Avenue) on to the right-hand parking lane on westbound Bethesda Avenue.

That will bring joggers, walkers and cyclists to the intersection of Bethesda and Woodmont Avenue, where they currently cross to regain the trail.

This does create a safety issue, as trail users will have to navigate a busy state highway to get to the next section. That is why trail advocates have called for the tunnel option.

The surface route concept doesn't sound too bad, and will certainly be safer than riding through a deserted tunnel.

Once the trail, Purple Line station, Capital Bikeshare stations, and new Bethesda Metro Center south entrance are completed, Bethesda will have nearly as many transportation options as a European city.

Council staff director Glenn Orlin suggested building the new trail route in FY 2015, so that trail users will not face an interruption when the tunnel closes for Purple Line construction in FY 2016, in his Memorandum to the Council.

But I think the MTA tunnel report should have been made available on both the MTA and Council websites as soon as it was delivered to the council.

There are many opinions on this and other Purple Line matters, and the people have a right to know what's going on.