The Purple Line would most likely run through the Four Corners area, connecting Bethesda to downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park and College Park. Such a far-reaching and efficient transit system would give the people greater access to the newly revitalized downtown. For Blair students, the added convenience of the Purple Line could make a big difference in everyday life. A quick link to the University of Maryland could create academic opportunities, while a direct route to the western region of the county could relieve some students of an unnecessarily long commute. Currently, Blair students traveling upcounty must take a bus to the Silver Spring station, then make a costly and circuitous journey through D.C. on the Red Line.
More efficient transit is only the beginning.
One of the most compelling reasons for building the Purple Line is its benefit to the environment. Currently, over 2.8 million motor vehicles emit 70 percent of the region s smog-producing gases. The number of cars on D.C.'s roads not only creates health and ecological risks, but also causes the gridlock through which commuters must navigate daily. The Purple Line could draw up to 64,000 commuters away from highways and local roads, according to Metro D.C. Future. It would also give over 100,000 mass transit passengers a more efficient route between the eastern and western regions of the county.