Long distance opinion

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Long distance opinion

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After fighting over development in his Silver Spring backyard, Philip Porado moved to Toronto (‘‘Common sense lacking in Purple Line debate,” April 4 letter). He now feels free to pontificate from there to his former neighbors about what the Purple Line will do to their neighborhoods and claims they lack common sense. Hogwash.

It is sensible to be concerned about an MTA-operated light rail that will destroy scores of homes, dozens of businesses, divide neighborhoods and bring danger to those nearby.

Perhaps Mr. Porado is unaware of the MTA light rail accidents in Baltimore, at BWI airport, and a death recently at the Patapsco station. He may also be unaware that the rail is proposed to be as close as 8 feet or so to the most heavily used hiker biker trail in Montgomery County, run as fast as 50 to 55 mph and run as often as every three minutes. There is no other trail in the country that will have such fast trains, running so frequently so close to foot-powered commuters.

Isaac Hantman, Bethesda