The Great Purple Line Thread (Bethesda, Chevy Chase: purchasing, price, moving)

[lookingbutnotlost]

Originally Posted by WhoDatInMD

Some of the commenters on greatergreaterwashington looked into the judge and pretty much were able to find enough scraps of information to determine that he himself lives in Chevy Chase and is possibly a member of a golf club that's anti-Purple line. If all this is true, he should've recused himself. Talk about a conflict of interest

Is it? That's like saying a judge can't hear any case involving the community he lives in. That is silly and very Donald Trump-ian. Anyway the case is being appealed. Those NIMBYs are nuts and they found the one sucker willing to give them some wind for 5 minutes

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by lookingbutnotlost

Is it? That's like saying a judge can't hear any case involving the community he lives in. That is silly and very Donald Trump-ian. Anyway the case is being appealed. Those NIMBYs are nuts and they found the one sucker willing to give them some wind for 5 minutes

While the Judge's residence is certain an interesting aspect, it shouldn't be the main focus of Purple Line proponents.

The arguments the judge made fail on their own merits alone. That's where the focus should be.

[WhoDatInMD]

Originally Posted by lookingbutnotlost

Is it? That's like saying a judge can't hear any case involving the community he lives in. That is silly and very Donald Trump-ian. Anyway the case is being appealed. Those NIMBYs are nuts and they found the one sucker willing to give them some wind for 5 minutes

It is if he's supposedly a member of that golf club that's anti-purple line.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by WhoDatInMD

It is if he's supposedly a member of that golf club that's anti-purple line.

The golf club dropped their lawsuit because of the redesign. So, they weren't even a factor. This is strictly the doing of the Friends of the Capital Crescent Trail.

[WhoDatInMD]

On Aug. 23, Attorney General Brian Frosh filed a request for reconsideration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in an attempt to get Judge Richard Leon to reconsider his decision to cancel federal approval of, and funding for, the project until a new environmental impact statement (EIS) is completed that takes into account the flagging ridership numbers of the D.C. Metro system.
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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has also expressed its support for restoring federal approval, calling Leon’s decision “clear error” and “manifest injustice.”

“The court impermissibly substituted its judgment for that of FTA in making the ultimate finding that the information on WMATA Metrorail’s issues presents a significant environmental impact,” the FTA’s document said.

Ralph Bennett, president of the advocacy group Purple Line Now, called the attorney general’s documents “excellent” and said the judge was acting improperly when he ordered a new EIS.

“This is illegal. The judge exceeded his authority in requiring a new environmental impact statement. He could ask the U.S. Department of Transportation, but only they have the authority to order one,” he said.

Judge's decision halting Purple Line appealed

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by WhoDatInMD

Judge's decision halting Purple Line appealed

Seems to me that this judge was against it before it even reached his bench. Friends of the Capitol Crescent Trail thought they had access to a powerful friend in the courts. The judge probably knew it wouldn't stick. But now he can say at least he tried in order to save face. It's the FTA's money. They did due diligence with the first study. To now step in on the behalf of FTA and throw out their work as if he was speaking for the FTA was pretty arrogant on the judge's part. It's FTA's decision whether or not a new study is needed. They are the expert witness.

[kcmo]

I'm sure it won't stick but who is stuck paying for the added cost due to the delays?

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I'm sure it won't stick but who is stuck paying for the added cost due to the delays?

If it turns out that the judge actually did break the law or caused unnecceray harm to the state, I'd imagine the state could sue the federal government for "financial injury" due to an improper ruling. Although, if he did in fact make an illegal ruling, then I don't see why the FTA can't just release the funds since it is in their budget to do so. The funds were already approved. But I guess everyone has to wait until this goes through the legal system.

It is interesting. The agency that approved the money has been told by a judge, "Wait, do another study." And then that agency tells the judge, "No, you're wrong. We've done one and we are the ones who determine if another study should be done." By the way, that same agency still can't release the funds until the judge says so, or a higher court says so.

So, any small group of individuals can stall a major infrastructure project if they are lucky enough to get a judge to make a bonehead decision. And we wonder why as the wealthiest country in the world, our transit infrastructure is behind the rest of the western world.

I think that if a project has been 25 years in the making, there should be a limit. Local, county, state, and federal governments all approved the project. And it is stalled because of UNFORESEEN issues with a separate system built and managed by a separate entity. Only in America.

ANd one can make the argument that Metro ridership would increase next year after the maintenance work to where the ridership exceeds previous years. But I guess the judge didn't have the time to consider that? Anything in the future is speculation and hearsay. The FTA and the MTA did due diligence. No one has a crystal ball. This project was approved before Metro ridership even became a local issue.

[the resident09]

Any update on a ground breaking date here??

We're almost in October and we're going on 10 years before any dirt has been moved on this project yet.

This is becoming pretty embarrassing.

[WhoDatInMD]

^ No official ground breaking can happen until after the ruling from the district court on the appeal, and who knows when that will be.