Seems like a state issue when we're talking about a rail line out to Tysons. Why should federal dollars factor into a project that will probably be mostly virginia commuters heading out?

Now, as a VA resident and voter, I'm all for this line but the reality is that its our taxes that should pay for it. Northern VA collects a lot of tax dollars, and I suspect we could afford it if we would waste less. If we can't afford a tunnel, then build it above ground.

Maryland voters should wake up to our quickly worsening traffic situation and back mass transit projects like the Purple Line and the Green Line extension to BWI. Seems like we don't hear that much about these needed projects

"Maryland voters should wake up to our quickly worsening traffic situation and back mass transit projects like the Purple Line and the Green Line extension to BWI. Seems like we don't hear that much about these needed projects"

Excuse me, but I don't see how either of those mass transit projects will ease congestion on the Beltway or I-95 northbound. Or much of anywhere else in Suburban Maryland, for that matter.

As proposed, the Purple Line is 19th century technology (light rail) that can't solve a 21st century traffic congestion problem. The only people attracted to light rail are those who already took the buses light rail replaces, so the "it will get people out of their cars and ease congestion" argument is squashed right out of the box. Also, if the Purple Line travels on existing roads, it will SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC, thereby making congestion WORSE. If built as proposed, the Purple Line will be a waste of money. The area would be better served with rapid buses and road improvements such as widening the Beltway, widening East-West highway and improving major intersections in the manner of what's been done with Route 29.

Extending the Green Line to Laurel would be useful. Extending it all the way to BWI would be redundant; BWI is already served by MARC and Amtrak.

Maryland voters need to remember that this region's bad traffic isn't the result of a failure to "back mass transit projects". We've built more mass transit than anywhere else in the US except for the New York region. We have the bad traffic, NOT because we haven't invested in mass treansit; we have it because we haven't built a new major highway in a generation, thanks to gutless elected officials who pander to transit advocates and are afraid of NIMBYs, environmentalists, and anti-road activists. It doesn't take a degree in urban planning to see that a rail-only transportation policy has failed; mass transit HAS NOT made roads unnecessary.

Between now and November, whenever you're stuck in traffic while watching your tax dollars pay for someone else's subsidized Metro ride, remember who's to blame.

Please don't YELL. It doesn't make statements any more truthful.

No matter what transit expansion is constructed, underground, invisible heavy rail, or a freeway right through your backyard, people will move farther away, to less expensive real estate, so that their commutes take 30-45 minutes, and all your efforts to prevent congestion by advocating against mass transit will be for naught. The only way to end congestion on roadways is to block off the roads.

The people to blame for your slow commute are those in front and around you, driving cars, crashing cars, using cell phones, shaving, grooming, and sipping coffee. Oh, and you, for choosing to work and live in two different places not served by metrorail. Shorten your commutes, one person at a time. MOVE.

"The people to blame for your slow commute are those in front and around you, driving cars, crashing cars, using cell phones, shaving, grooming, and sipping coffee. Oh, and you, for choosing to work and live in two different places not served by metrorail. Shorten your commutes, one person at a time. MOVE."

- Shortsighted, narrowminded, elistist, uninformed, and just plain silly.

I'm not even going to go into thhe reasons everyone can't live and work next to metrorail, because you probably wouldn't get it anyway. Otherwise, you wouldn't be reciting those silly slogans.

Even if we had a 1,000-mile metrorail network, we would STILL have traffic congestion without building additional road capacity.

For 30 years, we've canceled planned roads and invested in metrorail. The bad traffic - second worst in the US - shows that we've received a poor return on our investment. In other words, rail didn't made roads unnecessary, as some of us were obviously duped into believing .

I once read that the simplest definition of insanity is repetition of the same behavior while expecting different results. Continiung to invest in rail while not buidling road swould be insane.

So "The people to blame for my slow commute" aren't the other drivrs. They're the misinformed dupes who after 30 years of failure, STILL think rail makes roads unnecessary.

Thank goodness, enough people are waking up. Enough of us want a transportation network that serves ALL of us, not just a few. That's why we got the new Wilson bridge, and Sprinfield Interchange in spite of opposition. And that's why we're finally building the ICC in spite of opposition.

You see, enough people now realize it's people like you who are the REAL problem. We know you want to make congestion WORSE and make surbaban life miserable. That's why you oppose all new roads and want all transportation funds spent on transit. Your goal is to increase property values in the core and force everyone onto transit.

After all these years, I'm STILL trying to figure out what motivates people like you to want to control the lives of others. I didn't know we the Taliban in metro DC.

To "Neil"

My experience has shown that most, if not all, of the road-haters and smart-growthers who complain that "people will move farther away, to less expensive real estate, so that their commutes take 30-45 minutes" and suggest that the "only way to end congestion on roadways is to block off the roads" are elist pull-up-the-drawbridge types.

They complain and whine that "nothing" can EVER relieve congestion, least of all "a freeway right through your backyard".

Their suggestion, no their COMMAND, is that evetryone "Shorten your commutes, one person at a time. MOVE." to "areas served by metrorail".

Everyone, but THEM, that is.

I've seen that the smart-growthers are the worst form of hypocrite. They oppose all new roads then tell anyone who will listen that the people most inconvenienced by road opponents are to blame for their own problems.

You see, their goals are simple. They want evryone ELSE to live and work in areas "served by metrorail" because they want the farther-out areas to themselves. They don't "those people" coming out and fouling their pristine little world with "less expensive real estate".

That's the REAL reason why you complain about the people who "move farther away, to less expensive real estate" and have the audacity to want to live somplace not "served by metrorail". You're a snob.