With the new year comes a new hope for Metro development.

A Washington Post editorial finds growing support for light-rail development along the planned Purple Line, which would connect Bethesda and Montgomery County to New Carrollton and Prince George’s County. The Post says that light rail, as opposed to bus rapid transit. Though the latter option would prove to be cheaper, light rail is favored as more likely to maximize ridership. Despite some opponents who argue that light rail might interrupt the Capital Crescent Trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring (see here for more on that debate), the Montgomery County Council is expected to endorse light rail later this month. It seems risky to presume any certainty about the Purple Line project, which has been little more than a twinkle in urban transit advocates’ eyes for some 20 years now.

Meanwhile Paul Sieczkowski at Greater Greater Washington has outlined some future issues surrounding North Capitol development. Sieczkowski says that “Bloomingdale residents are concerned about increased traffic, as the area is already a bottleneck, pinched between parks, universities and cemeteries that have severed the street grids.” Not a Bloomingdale resident myself, I couldn’t say whether this is the case, but I have never heard any Bloomingdaliens bemoan the state of traffic or parking.

Nevertheless GGW highlights ways that the McMillan Sand Filtration and the Armed Forces Retirement Home development plans could be nudged toward transit-oriented development projects. Sieczkowski suggests streetcars and priority bus lanes along North Cap — but doesn’t linger on these options. After all, if you’re going to dream, dream big.

Photo by Pianoman75