When it comes time to start building the Purple Line in 2015, 31 residences, 46 commercial and nine institutional properties could be displaced to make way for the project, according to the Maryland Transit Administration.
The agency that oversees the $1.925 billion, 16-mile rail line that will connect Bethesda and New Carrollton estimates that 236 additional properties in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties will lose a portion of their land.
Affected homeowners are expected to receive compensation, though MTA has not set its budget for that, said Purple Line Project Engineer Michael Madden.
Although MTA has notified many of the owners facing the loss of property and is continuing efforts to notify the rest, some residents are criticizing the administration for not doing enough public outreach. Madden could not provide an exact number of notified property owners.
In the Coquelin Run neighborhood of Chevy Chase, houses are situated near the proposed Purple Line route. On Jan. 6, Coquelin Run Citizens Association President Phil MacWilliams wrote a letter to Madden asking how many homes in the area would be affected. He received a reply Jan. 18 stating that land along a portion of Jones Mill Road could be affected.
Although there is a sense of relief in knowing that none of his neighbors will lose their houses, MacWilliams said, he believes MTA could be more forthcoming.
“I could understand why they don't want to publicize each individual lot for privacy purposes, but they should release a summary of how many properties are being taken in full or part, and break it down by neighborhood,” he said. “They should let people know as soon as possible.”
With plans and engineering plans being refined, Madden believes the number of affected properties will drop, he said.
Minority business owners in communities like Langley Park, Long Branch and Takoma Langley Crossroads, also are hoping for more direct communication from MTA, said Zorayda Moreira-Smith, an attorney for the advocacy group Casa of Maryland.
“One of our major issues is that MTA has said in the past that they informed the property owner,” she said. “But most small business owners are tenants and they're not receiving the information the property owner is actually acquiring.”
Given ongoing engineering and design efforts, Madden declined to comment on which 322 properties could be affected. Only until the Purple Line enters the final design stage will a complete list be available, he said. That is expected to occur in 2014, at the earliest.
Once the federal government signs off on construction, affected property owners will receive a monetary offer on the property, following an appraisal. If an offer is rejected by the owner, MTA could still attain the property through eminent domain.
nnourmohammadi@gazette.net
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