As a lover of driving, more of this please! Every time someone thinks of another road or highway lane, there should be a subway, light rail, or railway built. 🎉
I've been watching from the Purple Line for years. It's great to see it is now, and for lack of a better words, "on track" to be completed. RUclips videos are an excellent way to keep the public informed.
This is fantastic. Well done, Maryland. It's great to see a renaissance of metro public rail transit infrastructure across the USA. Cities like Los Angeles in 1990 and Seattle in 1996 were at the forefront of this public transit rail infrastructure renaissance. Other cities continue to follow and join this movement to invest in this public transit infrastructure. It's wonderful to see.
Once open, you can go from College Park Metro to light rail and get onto campus with one transfer (and you'll have three stops to choose from once there.) This will be a game changer.
@@peabody1976 they should still build a branch under Baltimore ave. It would be worth it considering this "rapid transit" line runs in mixed traffic at grade in UMD campus
When university instructors have poor performance, they just want to not build a green purple line. So we could have instructors with quality performance say that the bicycle area on baltimore avenue needs a dutch curb; people who drove on it a small amount look very dumb. That part is cv axle, which fafsa does not cover.
Great work on the up an coming Purple Line. I have been so focused on the Red Line restoration in Baltimore, that I’ve completely lost track of the Purple Line.
Disingenuous comment, plenty of overpasses were built, also I believe the trains will trigger signal priority through the at grade connections. They aren't building a high speed rail line. The configuration is fine....maybe the routing could have been tweaked, but that is a different argument.
My business has been tremendously affected by this crazy construction in front of my hair salon at the Silver Spring library stop. I also live next to Spring St bridge. So yeah… I watched every single progress on this construction day in and day out. At this point, I don’t care about the next step but the black fence that’s surrounding the entire building where my salon is to be removed. I just want to be a storefront again not an alley where the homeless people are sleeping and do their business for the last two years.
Agreed. I believe if there's going to be significant WMATA connections, then it would only make sense for the system to be integrated with the same fare cards, etc. so as to streamline the transfers between the two.
@@jajefan123456789 They have said that it will take WMATA cards. Yet to know if it will appear on the metro map though, so could be confusing for some.
Not sure what "newly completed sections" of University Blvd. is being referenced here - but its NOT the Langley Park/Riggs Road section. Please hurry and complete construction in that area - the condition of the road and sidewalks there are absolutely deplorable and barely driveable.
Yeah, that was a little confusing, but he must have been referring to the train cars. Though I'm not sure how much that matters because you can always attach multiple cars to each other. The bigger long-term issue is the length of the station platforms to allow multiple cars to be attached. In Los Angeles They can run anywhere from 1 to 3 car trains. The other way to increase capacity besides car capacity is train frequency.
Great project, but it it a huge mistake that the platforms are not future proof. To meet future demand they should have been build at least twice as long, to enable longer vehicles in the future.
Traffic signage is horrible and not up MDOT standards. Where are the inspectors? People are confused, dont know where to go. Roads need re-painting! Also, many pot holes left unattended! Spread the word!
A lot of people have electric bikes, which are too heavy to lift up onto those raised bike racks in the rail cars. Will we be allowed to stand and hold our bikes? Electric bikes are mobility devices for people who are not physically able to ride a “regular“ bike long distances, or in hilly areas…
Why would the majority of the line be grade separated only to run the trains in mixed traffic for a couple blocks by UMD? Seems like it would create a lot of delays and bottleneck service, not to mention slowing down a pretty important connection from the wmata station for students. Too late I guess
It's not mostly grade separated, the vast majority of the line is at grade. You may be thinking of having dedicated ROW, which isn't the same thing. FWIW, through the core of campus, the center lane will be for general traffic, but the outer lanes (with the rails) will be transit and authorized vehicles only. However, there are other parts of campus Dr, like the part that goes under the Green line, that will unfortunately be mixed traffic, although in that area traffic usually moves pretty quick
This has to be photoshop. I live in the construction area it looks nothing like this. Show pictures of University Boulevard and Riggs Road. This project is long overdue and become a traffic nightmare for the last four years. If I knew, it would’ve been like this I would’ve never voted for this crap.
One of the benefits of fixed route transit is that it encourages investment in dense developments which can support the system. So even if the density isn't great at time of construction with enough time it can become sufficient.
If there is any expansion of the Purple in the future it will likely expand south from New Carrollton to Glenarden /Ardmore, Largo, Forestville, Andrews, Branch Avenue, Temple Hills, Camp Spring and National Harbor. The only way it will cross the river into Virginia is when Maryland and Virginia agree to establish interstate compact, which requires an act of Congress, to allow the Purple line to operated across state lines. The other option is for Maryland to handover the Purple line to the WMATA and operate between Maryland and Virginia under their existing interstate compact. Being that DC is a member of the WMATA interstate compact and the Purple line service will be operating outside of DC, that could open up a new political can of worms.
@@SandBoxJohnthose options would be nice, but if we get the purple line to come down to Branch Ave station or the National Harbor, that would be cool as well. It would help with going up north for non-transit people such as myself a lot faster than having two to three bus transfers.
@@TechHobbyistTheOri Tyson's will be the next 2nd most important office area in the DMV after downtown DC. Every transit line should start pointing towards Tyson's.
I agree, LRT should've been upgraded to fully grade-separated heavy rail and fully integrated into WMATA if we were to be realistic about future growth potential.
@@blakshamCorrect. The LA Metro LRT lines have an average speed of around 25 mph and a top speed of 55 mph. The C line has a little higher average speed. BTW, all LA Metro LRT lines are, at least, partially grade separated and include subterranean and aerial stations along with ground level stations. It's really more of a hybrid system, a subway light design. Though, to be clear, LA Metro also has 2 heavy rail subway lines, too. One of which is currently being extended 9 miles with 7 new underground stations.
@@mrxman581 That's why my question to zunkman was specific to LA Metro's C (Green) Line. It has dedicated track in the median of I-105; "trains can operate at speeds up to 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) for most of their route as trains run in the median of the I-105 freeway, not having at-grade street service like other lines...The line has complete grade separation, relatively long station spacing, and a primarily straight alignment." The other lines are - like you say - partially grade separated with underground, ground level, and aerial stations. Green Line was mentioned due to its density of passenger carriage in Boston's urban core. My point was to push back against questioning worth of LRT - there are some valuable examples.
This is a great way to keep people up to date, the purple line is going to be awesome!
#Purplelineprogress !!🚆
As a lover of driving, more of this please! Every time someone thinks of another road or highway lane, there should be a subway, light rail, or railway built. 🎉
I've been watching from the Purple Line for years. It's great to see it is now, and for lack of a better words, "on track" to be completed. RUclips videos are an excellent way to keep the public informed.
This is fantastic. Well done, Maryland.
It's great to see a renaissance of metro public rail transit infrastructure across the USA.
Cities like Los Angeles in 1990 and Seattle in 1996 were at the forefront of this public transit rail infrastructure renaissance. Other cities continue to follow and join this movement to invest in this public transit infrastructure. It's wonderful to see.
Given all the tearing up they've been doing for the last few years, good to see milestones of progress.
Nice, this is very important Project good to see it's making progress
Indeed it is!
Love to see the project moving along smoothly, can’t wait to ride it!
stay tuned!
Awesome update! Looking forward to the completion of this project!
it's so many exciting things happening on this project! stay tuned!
Watching from New York. I can't wait for the IBX to be started .
We need more light rail and tram lines in Maryland. They are nice addition to subway and buses.
30 years after the College Park metro station didn't stop at the university. Better late than never.
Once open, you can go from College Park Metro to light rail and get onto campus with one transfer (and you'll have three stops to choose from once there.) This will be a game changer.
@@peabody1976 The Green Line stop should have been on campus.
@@markrobinowitz8473 Almost all the Metro stops are compromises of some sort.
@@peabody1976 they should still build a branch under Baltimore ave. It would be worth it considering this "rapid transit" line runs in mixed traffic at grade in UMD campus
When university instructors have poor performance, they just want to not build a green purple line. So we could have instructors with quality performance say that the bicycle area on baltimore avenue needs a dutch curb; people who drove on it a small amount look very dumb. That part is cv axle, which fafsa does not cover.
Purple line is going to use light rail?!? That's awesome!
Very impressed by the clear communication from this vid. Thanks!
Looking great so far! Glad things are actually happening, and the trainsets look good.
Thanks!
Hard to believe this was held up by some CC NIMBY's illegal fence. Glad to see it going forward!
I believe one of the many lawsuits was endangered crustaceans and birds.
cant wait to be there on the first day!
We can’t wait for our future riders get on the train either!!👏
I’m excited
Keep up the progress. This is going to be such a huge WIN for the region!
Great work on the up an coming Purple Line. I have been so focused on the Red Line restoration in Baltimore, that I’ve completely lost track of the Purple Line.
The project is looking really good!
It's great to see the progress along the alignment every time I visit the DC area 🥰
Love seeing progress!
Nice video on the progress of the Purple Line. Looking forward to the next Purple Line update!
Yay Purple Line!!
Yay! More public transit!
Thanks for the update! Looking forward to the Purple Line!
You bet!
first the red line... now the purple line... keep em coming!!!
thanks for the update, looks like its finally coming together!
You bet! #Purplelineprogress
Glad we're making good progress! I remember when it was going to be done in 2020 😂
Thanks for the update cant wait to ride it
Any time!
PROGRESS!
#PurpleLineprogress
Wow, that looks cool!
Nice video and information provided.
But please correct *lack of image fluidity* due to problems with not enough number of frames/second.
I hope it gets updated in the next generation to be fully grade separated and automated like the Montreal REM
Should've been this way from the start, but oh well, let's take the wins we can get.
Disingenuous comment, plenty of overpasses were built, also I believe the trains will trigger signal priority through the at grade connections. They aren't building a high speed rail line. The configuration is fine....maybe the routing could have been tweaked, but that is a different argument.
My business has been tremendously affected by this crazy construction in front of my hair salon at the Silver Spring library stop. I also live next to Spring St bridge. So yeah… I watched every single progress on this construction day in and day out. At this point, I don’t care about the next step but the black fence that’s surrounding the entire building where my salon is to be removed. I just want to be a storefront again not an alley where the homeless people are sleeping and do their business for the last two years.
Question though. Will this become a part of WMATA's overall transit system brand wise?
Agreed. I believe if there's going to be significant WMATA connections, then it would only make sense for the system to be integrated with the same fare cards, etc. so as to streamline the transfers between the two.
@@jajefan123456789 They have said that it will take WMATA cards. Yet to know if it will appear on the metro map though, so could be confusing for some.
Yay Transit :)
Not sure what "newly completed sections" of University Blvd. is being referenced here - but its NOT the Langley Park/Riggs Road section. Please hurry and complete construction in that area - the condition of the road and sidewalks there are absolutely deplorable and barely driveable.
i'm definitely not jealous
Bring MARC to Western Maryland (Allegany County)
No way this is going to be the longest light rail in North America. I can't see it being longer than the Los Angeles A line.
fairly sure they meant the vehicles themselves are the longest, i.e. a measurement from the front to the back of the train
The vehicles, not the route.
Yeah, that was a little confusing, but he must have been referring to the train cars. Though I'm not sure how much that matters because you can always attach multiple cars to each other.
The bigger long-term issue is the length of the station platforms to allow multiple cars to be attached. In Los Angeles They can run anywhere from 1 to 3 car trains. The other way to increase capacity besides car capacity is train frequency.
Great project, but it it a huge mistake that the platforms are not future proof. To meet future demand they should have been build at least twice as long, to enable longer vehicles in the future.
Traffic signage is horrible and not up MDOT standards.
Where are the inspectors?
People are confused, dont know where to go. Roads need re-painting!
Also, many pot holes left unattended!
Spread the word!
A lot of people have electric bikes, which are too heavy to lift up onto those raised bike racks in the rail cars. Will we be allowed to stand and hold our bikes? Electric bikes are mobility devices for people who are not physically able to ride a “regular“ bike long distances, or in hilly areas…
👏👏👏👏👏
Why would the majority of the line be grade separated only to run the trains in mixed traffic for a couple blocks by UMD? Seems like it would create a lot of delays and bottleneck service, not to mention slowing down a pretty important connection from the wmata station for students.
Too late I guess
They can implement signal prioritization at intersections for the train so they don't have to stop at them. Giving the train priority over vehicles.
@@mrxman581 the train is literally going to be running in the same lanes as vehicles on Campus Dr
It's not mostly grade separated, the vast majority of the line is at grade. You may be thinking of having dedicated ROW, which isn't the same thing. FWIW, through the core of campus, the center lane will be for general traffic, but the outer lanes (with the rails) will be transit and authorized vehicles only. However, there are other parts of campus Dr, like the part that goes under the Green line, that will unfortunately be mixed traffic, although in that area traffic usually moves pretty quick
Thank you saint rufus for building a purple caterpillar, "linus". Edgar allan poe people have to clickit or ticket.
Nicee!! But keep the damn thing clean tho , no homeless sleeping on the train or trash etc . Cuz the light rail already dirty for real
4:01 judging by the 2 cars, doesn’t seem like the road was missed very much lol
Talbot avenue bridge was originally a one lane bridge made out of wooden railroad boards, I miss that one.
This project was 0 for a few years then boom 100.
Looks like it'll be a lifesaver... IF IT'S EVER COMPLETED IN THE NEXT CENTURY!
Oh shit this is going to have so many crash videos with cars haha
This has to be photoshop. I live in the construction area it looks nothing like this. Show pictures of University Boulevard and Riggs Road. This project is long overdue and become a traffic nightmare for the last four years. If I knew, it would’ve been like this I would’ve never voted for this crap.
If there isn't a plan to extend this from Bethesda to Tyson's within the next 15 or so years, this will not connect enough population centers.
One of the benefits of fixed route transit is that it encourages investment in dense developments which can support the system. So even if the density isn't great at time of construction with enough time it can become sufficient.
If there is any expansion of the Purple in the future it will likely expand south from New Carrollton to Glenarden /Ardmore, Largo, Forestville, Andrews, Branch Avenue, Temple Hills, Camp Spring and National Harbor. The only way it will cross the river into Virginia is when Maryland and Virginia agree to establish interstate compact, which requires an act of Congress, to allow the Purple line to operated across state lines. The other option is for Maryland to handover the Purple line to the WMATA and operate between Maryland and Virginia under their existing interstate compact. Being that DC is a member of the WMATA interstate compact and the Purple line service will be operating outside of DC, that could open up a new political can of worms.
@@SandBoxJohnthose options would be nice, but if we get the purple line to come down to Branch Ave station or the National Harbor, that would be cool as well. It would help with going up north for non-transit people such as myself a lot faster than having two to three bus transfers.
@@TechHobbyistTheOri Tyson's will be the next 2nd most important office area in the DMV after downtown DC. Every transit line should start pointing towards Tyson's.
VDOT: Just one more lane bro.
Great progress update but the narration of this video is extremely painful
First
Waste of money. EVERY LRT is a waste of money. They're not fast, and they're not the "world saving idea" that everyone makes them out to be.
Even Boston Green Line and Los Angeles C line (it's pretty fast being in the median of a highway on dedicated tracks)?
I agree, LRT should've been upgraded to fully grade-separated heavy rail and fully integrated into WMATA if we were to be realistic about future growth potential.
@jajefan123456789 You can design an LRT system to be almost as efficient as a heavy rail system at much lower cost.
@@blakshamCorrect. The LA Metro LRT lines have an average speed of around 25 mph and a top speed of 55 mph. The C line has a little higher average speed. BTW, all LA Metro LRT lines are, at least, partially grade separated and include subterranean and aerial stations along with ground level stations. It's really more of a hybrid system, a subway light design.
Though, to be clear, LA Metro also has 2 heavy rail subway lines, too. One of which is currently being extended 9 miles with 7 new underground stations.
@@mrxman581 That's why my question to zunkman was specific to LA Metro's C (Green) Line. It has dedicated track in the median of I-105; "trains can operate at speeds up to 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) for most of their route as trains run in the median of the I-105 freeway, not having at-grade street service like other lines...The line has complete grade separation, relatively long station spacing, and a primarily straight alignment." The other lines are - like you say - partially grade separated with underground, ground level, and aerial stations.
Green Line was mentioned due to its density of passenger carriage in Boston's urban core.
My point was to push back against questioning worth of LRT - there are some valuable examples.