• Advisory ID: 07-047
• Advisory Date: 10/2/2007
• Contact: Office of Councilmember George Leventhal  240-777-7945
• From:

Purple Line Now’ to Rally for Expanding Metro from Bethesda to New Carrollton

Elected Officials, Residents, Business Community Join Other Advocates to Show Support on Wednesday, Oct. 10

ROCKVILLE, Md., October 2, 2007—Elected officials from across Maryland, residents concerned about the environment and members of the education and business communities—all of whom are concerned about the transportation future of the Maryland suburbs—will join forces in Takoma Park on Wednesday, Oct. 10, to show support for building the proposed Inner Purple Line that would add a new east-west light-rail line connecting Metrorail from Bethesda to New Carrollton.

The event, whose tickets are available to the public, will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Student Services Center at the Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College. At the event, the advocacy organization currently known as “The Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line” will formally announce its new name as “Purple Line Now!” The event also will help raise funds for the campaign to build the Purple Line and show support for the project.

The smooth jazz sounds of Marcus Johnson and the Marcus Johnson Project will provide entertainment for the evening, which also will include presentations and displays on how a light-rail line would greatly boost the area’s transportation needs. Tickets are still available for $50 ($20 for students). Contributions also are being accepted for event “hosts.”

The lobbying and advocacy coalition to support building the Inner Purple Line was founded in 2002.

“I believe the need for the Purple Line is more urgent than ever,” said Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal, one of the founders of the coalition. “In the next few months, the Maryland General Assembly will be determining the future of transportation funding in our State. Purple Line Now! intends to show there is a strong and broad-based support for building the Purple Line.”

Among the cross-section of supporters for this event are Congressman Al Wynn; State Comptroller Peter Franchot; State Senators Brian Frosh, Robert Garagiola and Jamie Raskin; State Delegates William Bronrott, Brian Feldman, Ana Sol Gutierrez, Sheila Hixson, Tom Hucker, Susan Lee, Joseline Pena-Melnyk, Heather Mizeur and Victor Ramirez; Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett; Montgomery County Council President Marilyn Praisner; Montgomery County Councilmembers Leventhal, Roger Berliner, Marc Elrich, Valerie Ervin and Duchy Trachtenberg; and Prince George’s County Councilmembers Will Campos, Tom Dernoga and Eric Olson.

Among the other supporters are Montgomery College; the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce; the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce; the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

For more information on Purple Line Now! and the Oct. 10 event in Takoma Park, go to the organization’s Web site at www.purplelinenow.com or call 301-587-6267.

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