What is a Preferred Alternative? The Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) is the physical design concept and scope for a major transit investment being proposed by the state for funding by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). For the Purple Line, the decision on the LPA identified the transit mode (light rail), and the location and description of the alignment. The LPA generally describes the proposed location of stations, the operating plans for the transit service (hours of operation, how often vehicles run, etc.), and any design options to be further evaluated during the next phases, Preliminary Engineering and Final Design.

What is the PA for the Purple Line?

Governor Martin O'Malley announced on August 4, 2009 that the Preferred Alternative (PA) selected for the Purple Line is a light rail line operating along a 16-mile east-west corridor from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George's County.

The Purple Line PA operates mainly in dedicated or exclusive lanes, allowing for fast, reliable transit operations. Click on the map to see the selected route and stations.

• The Purple Line PA starts in Bethesda, with a direct elevator connection to the Metrorail Red Line and will follow the Georgetown Branch right-of-way, crossing over Connecticut Avenue and under Jones Mill Road;
• The Capital Crescent Trail will be completed between Bethesda and Silver Spring;
• The Purple Line PA stays on the south side of the CSX corridor just past Spring Street, when it will cross over the tracks to enter the Silver Spring Transit Center on an aerial structure;
• It exits the Silver Spring Transit Center to follow Bonifant Street on the surface;
• It has a station integrated into the new Silver Spring Library and continues on Wayne Avenue at grade, in shared lanes with added left-turn lanes;
• Just past Manchester Road it enters a ¼-mile long tunnel under Plymouth Avenue, due to steep grades, and returning to the surface on Arliss Street just before turning left onto Piney Branch Road;
• It is located in dedicated center lanes on Piney Branch Road and University Boulevard directly serving the Takoma/Langley Crossroads area;
• It continues through the center of the University of Maryland campus, crossing US 1 on Rossborough Lane to enter the new East Campus Development;
• The Purple Line PA would continue on Paint Branch Parkway and is then integrated into the new development at the College Park Metrorail Station;
• It follows the south side of River Road in dedicated lanes before turning right onto Kenilworth Avenue;
• On Kenilworth Avenue, it is on an elevated aerial structure, crossing over the MD 201 / MD 410 intersection and turning left along MD 410. An aerial station is located just after the intersection;
• It returns to grade in dedicated lanes on MD 410 (Riverdale Road) and then along the south side of Veterans Parkway;
• The Purple Line PA turns left on to Ellin Road to arrive at the New Carrollton Metrorail Station, the eastern terminus of the project.

View a map of the Purple Line PA

View a detailed description of the PA

The project will be submitted to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under its "New Starts" funding program as the state competes for federal funding.