Maryland transit planners are considering cutting costs for the Purple Line light rail project by eliminating a bridge over Connecticut Avenue and having trains cross on road in Chevy Chase instead.
The Washington Post reports project manager Michael Madden told the Montgomery County Council on Thursday that engineers are analyzing the impact trains would have on the busy commuter route. The crossing would be just inside the Capital Beltway.
The Purple Line would be a 16-mile light rail between Bethesda and New Carrollton. It's intended to improve east-west transit through suburban Maryland and connect Metro, MARC and Amtrak lines.
Critics say such a change would further snarl traffic that's already jammed during rush hours.
Councilmember Nancy Floreen told Madden that eliminating the bridge is not fair to residents.
