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While the Montgomery County Council voted unanimously Tuesday for a light-rail plan for the Purple Line, the decision comes at a time when the county and state are short of funds for big projects.

Public transit plans, particularly light-rail commuter trains, often have had to take a back seat for funding to highway construction funds.

But that soon may change as a group of rail advocacy groups has formed a coalition to lobby for more funding for rail projects such as the Purple Line.

The newly formed OneRail coalition represents the first time groups ranging from commuter rail advocates to freight shipping companies have worked together to form a united front.

OneRail has called for states to be able to decide on their own whether money from the federal government could be spent on rail or on highway repair. Also, the group says that spending more on rail could obviate the need for new roads.

County Planning Board officials said the light-rail plan won out over rapid transit buses because of its increased carrying capacity.

The Purple Line, which could carry an estimated 63,000 passengers daily, would run 16 miles from Bethesda to New Carrollton by way of Silver Spring and College Park.

The Prince George's County Council also approved its section of the Purple Line proposal unanimously.

When construction will begin is unknown. In 2007, the cost of a "medium investment" light rail was $1.2 billion.

Metro studies bus routes

Metro will hold public meetings during the next two weeks as part a study to improve Metrobus service.

In Montgomery County, the Veirs Mill Line (Q2) is being studied. A meeting for public comment is scheduled for Thursday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Rockville United Church, 355 Linthicum St., Rockville.

A meeting also is scheduled for Feb. 5, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Holiday Park Senior Center, 3905 Ferrara Drive, Silver Spring.

More information is available at www.metrobus-Q2.com.

Highway updates on Twitter

Commuters now can turn to Twitter before they fritter away their time in traffic jams. The State Highway Administration rolled out a new tool to provide traffic updates through the online social networking tool.

Commuters can sign up for brief Twitter updates with any device that can receive e-mails or text messages.

Bad timing on traffic lights

A reader writes:

As you drive south on Wisconsin, you pass Grosvenor Lane. If you get stopped there, it is almost certain that you will hit the next red light at the unnamed ramp leading off Interstate 270.

Surely this light could be timed to get in sync with Grosvenor, as there is nothing to relate to coming from the ramp.

Alex Fraser

Kensington

The county has had computerized traffic signal controls for more than 20 years, but is in the process of a traffic signal system modernization project that will include next-generation technology to improve signal timing.

Let it snow, let it snow,

let it snow

While a fresh blanket of snow can make even Route 355 look pretty, the AAA warned that nearly a quarter of all highway crashes occur during adverse weather.

"It's only an inch or so, but severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for area drivers who seemingly forget how to drive in the stuff," said Mahlon G. "Lon" Anderson, AAA Mid-Atlantic's director of public and government affairs. "Driving on snow-covered or slushy roads can quickly turn the commute into a driving nightmare."

Studies have shown that 24 percent of all crashes occur during bad weather.

"People who slow down when the weather is bad may not slow down enough to avoid all crashes, but, on average, they at least reduce the severity of the collision," Anderson said. "Drivers who ignore the warning are taking unnecessary risks."

Among the tips recommended by AAA:

-Speed up and slow down slowly to retain traction and avoid skids.

-The normal rule of following two to three seconds behind a car on dry roads should be increased to eight to 10 seconds when it is snowing or raining.

-If a road is icy or snow covered, try to get momentum before going up any hills, and proceed down the hill as slowly as possible.

But the best tip of all: Stay home if you can. It's hard to crash a vehicle if you don't leave the couch.