Purple Line

Can you imagine alternatives to Beltway gridlock? Having a choice about how to get over the Wilson Bridge, or options other than creeping traffic and tailpipe exhaust for that trip to Tyson's Corner?

The Purple Line is a proposed rail line that will encircle Washington, D.C., providing an alternative to driving. It will connect existing suburban metro lines and add new stations at employment, retail, college, and population centers. In addition to serving suburban residents, the Purple Line will also dramatically improve access to suburban jobs for residents of Washington, D.C.

NEW: Click here to read Sierra Club's Purple Line Newsletter (pdf format)

Where Would the Purple Line Go?
The Purple Line would be a critical link in the chain of regional transit. It would run through important residential and commercial centers like Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, Oxon Hill, Alexandria, and Tysons Corner. The Purple Line would connect existing Metro lines (Blue, Green, Orange, Red, and Yellow) and MARC and VRE stations.

Rail on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge
Adding rail to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge---connecting the Yellow Line in Virginia to the Green Line in Maryland---would provide a real alternative for frustrated Washington area residents.

Purple Line Map

MetroWoman
Her identity is secret, but she's known to show up at transit stations in the Washington, DC, area, handing out literature in support of the Purple Line, which the Sierra Club's Maryland, Virginia, and DC chapters have been championing for years.

Related Actions:

Tell Public Officials: Build the Purple Line Now!
Political conflicts, long review processes, and approval requirements—together with a lack of funding for Metro—continue to stall progress. Our public officials need to hear from you that building the Purple Line, including rail on the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge, should be among the top transportation priorities for our region. Use this sample letter to call or write to your officials today.

Tell Gov. Kaine and Gov. O'Malley: Rail Now on the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge
The new Woodrow Wilson Bridge is rail-ready, but action is needed by Virginia and Maryland officials to jumpstart the effort to add Metro connections between the Yellow and Green Lines. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley have committed to improving transit in our region. Ask them to act to take action now to put rail on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

Related News:

Metro Riders Demand Better Metro Service Without Fare Hikes
Sierra Club Press Room 21, 2007
“Metro takes 580,000 cars off the road each weekday and eliminates more than 10,000 tons of pollution each year:” noted Grace Cunningham, also with the Sierra Club. “Riders are already paying their fair share for a public service that benefits all of us.”

Wynn wants Wilson Bridge study expedited
Washington Examiner 14, 2007
"Rail across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge would provide the 100,000 plus Prince George's County residents who commute across the Wilson Bridge every day with an alternative to congested roadways," said Congressman Al Wynn in a letter to Governor Martin O'Malley. "Transit across the bridge will take people off the road and help reduce emissions in our region."

Transportation bill authorizes funding for preliminary rail studies
Gazette 8, 2005
The Campaign to Reinvest in the Heart of Oxon Hill is working on the next step to encourage construction of a rail system across the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge after funding for preliminary engineering of a transit route over the bridge was recently authorized.