Transportation Choices

Eric believes that vibrant, thriving communities need a range of transportation choices, and he has worked both professionally and on the City Council as an advocate for public transportation.

Eric’s top public transportation priority is building the Purple Line light rail line. This is an east-west light rail system that would serve the University of Maryland, a downtown College Park location, and the College Park Green Line Metro station as well as serve Riverdale Park and connect with the New Carrollton Metro Station on the Orange Line.

It would initially run to Bethesda and Silver Spring, and Eric is an advocate for it to also cross the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and become a circumferential line around the DC area. That way, it would connect the spokes of the Metrorail system and make commutes easier.

Eric believes the Purple Line -- implemented with careful and significant public comment -- will become a strong economic tool, and will help revitalize our inner-Beltway areas. It will also reduce traffic and air pollution, and become an efficient method of travel. The University of Maryland, for instance, is the largest traffic generator in Prince George’s County with nearly 50,000 daily commuters. The Purple Line could significantly cut the number of cars coming to campus on a daily basis, and would also cut the traffic to special events like football and basketball games.

Eric is a member of the Board of Directors for an advocacy group, the Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line. He has lobbied members of Congress and worked closely with the University of Maryland and other stakeholders to push for the Purple Line.

Eric is also a strong advocate for fixing our existing roads and infrastructure before building new roads. He believes it is fiscally more responsible and it makes more sense. Along with his College Park colleagues, Eric has fought for funding to rebuild Route 1 into a safe "Main Street" boulevard that includes landscaped medians with dedicated turn lanes, bike lanes, sidewalks, and other improvements. Numerous pedestrians have been killed on the road and it is an ugly roadway that is long overdue for attention from the State Highway Administration. Other, similar roads that need attention exist throughout Prince George’s County, including Route 450. Investment in these roads will also help to attract more private investment to our area.

Professionally, Eric has led an effort called "fix-it-first," meaning we should focus on fixing existing infrastructure in the United States. As an example, Eric led the charge against the Alaska "Bridges to Nowhere," which drew attention from major news outlets and eventually came to be known as poster children for outrageous Congressional spending. These bridges would cost taxpayers over $450 million and serve only a handful of people. From the beginning, Eric contrasted real infrastructure needs of the country with the outrageous pork for these Bridges to Nowhere. See Eric’s work on this at the Sierra Club’s Fix-it-First website [link].

Eric has been a longtime, vocal opponent of the proposed Intercounty Connector (ICC), which Governor Ehrlich (R) is pushing after Governor Glendening (D) cancelled it due to the cost, unacceptable environmental impacts and the lack of traffic relief. This $3 billion project would exacerbate sprawl, traffic and take needed dollars from our other important transportation needs. Eric sponsored a City resolution opposing the ICC, and has been a speaker at a number of rallies against the proposed toll road.

Similarly, Eric has been a strong opponent of the proposed "Connector Road," which would cut across and bulldoze valuable USDA Beltsville Agricultural Center farmland, impact neighborhoods, stream valleys, and other natural areas, while contributing to traffic, air pollution, and encouraging commuters to live farther and farther out. Eric and the City of College Park Council oppose the road and feel the money should instead be directed to fixing Route 1.

Eric and his colleagues are also seeking to improve bus service along Route 1. We are seeking to ensure that new developments either provide shuttle bus service to Metrorail or contribute to a fund to provide a public shuttle service along Route 1 and connect the City’s Metrorail stations. In addition, we are exploring ways to open the University of Maryland Shuttle bus service to residents. Eric believes there is much room to improve the effectiveness of regional bus service, and to increase ridership.

Creating a safe, inviting environment for bicyclists and pedestrians is also a key aspect of providing a range of transportation choices. Eric has led efforts for bike paths, on-road dedicated bicycle lanes, and pedestrian improvements in College Park.