In today's edition of Purple Line NOW News, here's what you'll find:

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Happy Holidays!
  • Halfway to Our Goal!
  • A Message from PLN Board President, Ralph Bennett
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Old Train Routes to New Trail Networks
  • Please Share With Your Baltimore Friends
  • A Whole New Metro Network -- In Paris
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  • Transportation Budget Deficit
  • Photos from Around the Corridor

Share This Newsletter

Please feel free to share this newsletter - no permission from us needed! You can always find a link to our newsletter on our Purple Line NOW website which makes it easy to share with your friends, neighbors, constituents, customers, and employees.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN?

Happy Holidays!

From all of us here at Purple Line NOW, we wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday! Thank you for all of your support, cheerleading, and advocacy throughout the year. This is the final newsletter for 2023, but rest assured, we'll be back in the new year with our Top Ten list, so stay tuned!

Halfway to Our Goal!

As of this morning, we are thrilled to announce we are halfway to our goal of reaching $6,000 in donations before the end of the year!

But, there are only a few weeks left in our matching campaign. We know this is a busy time of year for everyone, but donations given to Purple Line NOW through the end of the year will be matched (dollar for dollar!) until we reach our goal of $6,000! That is a steep goal for us, but it is not only necessary in order for us to close the gap in our budget, but we are confident that with your help, we can meet it!

Continuing this newsletter, our forum series, and our advocacy work is how we use every dollar raised. No matter the size of your donation, your support will have double the impact today!

Thank you to those who have given since we kicked off our campaign a few weeks ago -- your donations have been matched and you are now listed on our website! Not sure if you have given in the past twelve months? You can see all of our donors on our website to be sure. If you do not see your name here, we hope you might consider a donation to Purple Line NOW. Every single penny we raise goes to continuing our mission.

Many of you know us well and have been thoughtful and generous donors throughout our journey toward riding the Purple Line. We have also had lots of new folks join us as construction has ramped up and visual signs of progress abound. 

In case you missed our previous newsletter, would like to share a few words from our Board President, Ralph Bennett, about why we are asking and why it is so critical that Purple Line NOW continues our work.

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you to highlight our low bank balance and the urgent need to raise funds to continue our important work. As you know, Purple Line NOW rarely holds special event fundraising, instead we rely on our donors and supporters to come through for us to assist when our financial needs outweigh our revenue.

At our recent quarterly board meeting, our Treasurer reported that our current bank balance is dangerously low and that we are at risk of being unable to continue working with the public to broaden our advocacy efforts and achieve our goals. We cannot afford to let this happen.

That is why I am asking for your help. Every donation, no matter the size, will help us continue our outreach to the community via our widely read bi-weekly newsletter, advocate for issues facing the Purple Line and beyond at the local, state, and federal levels, and continue hosting the very popular community webinars on a regular basis where we bring experts and industry leaders together to discuss all things Purple Line along the corridor.

If you or your organization have not donated in the past year, I ask you to consider a donation to Purple Line NOW at this time. All donors are listed on our website for a year following their donation. A very generous anonymous donor has offered to match all donations during this campaign, beginning today through the end of the year, or until our goal of $6,000 is reached, so your help will count twice as much this holiday season!

Your support will make a real difference in our efforts to close the significant gap in our budget and ensure our work continues until opening day of service.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Ralph Bennett, President
Purple Line NOW

Thank you from all of us here at Purple Line NOW!

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Old Train Routes to New Trail Networks

Michael Laris interviews Ryan Chao of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in the Washington Post. In the article, the Purple Line is cited as an example of how conservation efforts can be a two-way track. When completed, the Bethesda-to-Silver Spring portion of the trail will have both the light rail line and the trail traveling on paved and separated right-of-ways (with the exception of the Wisconsin avenue crossing, where the trail tunnel option is still seeking a funding source). (Laris, M. (2023, November 27). Old train routes are getting recycled into new trail networks. Washington Post.)

Please Share With Your Baltimore Friends

On behalf of the Baltimore City House Delegation’s Transportation Subcommittee, Delegate Robbyn Lewis invites you to the City for All Forum on January 27, 2024. Let’s envision a transportation future that is healthy, accessible, reliable, sustainable and equitable for all! This first-of-its kind public event is open to all residents of Baltimore city and metro region. The vibe will be positive, respectful, forward-looking, optimistic and open-hearted. Participants can join in-person or virtually.

Pre-registration is required. Click here to sign up and share your vision!

DATE: Saturday 27 January 2024
TIME: 11am – 2pm
VENUE: Morgan State University, Earl G. Graves School of Business Auditorium, Rm. 104
ADDRESS: 4100 Hillen Road, Baltimore, MD 21218

We all want a transportation network that delivers fast and reliable access to jobs, school, health care and recreation for all, regardless of age, race, income or physical ability. We can have this! Learn about planned improvements, like the Frederick Douglass Passenger Rail Tunnel and Mondawmin Transit Hub Upgrades. And lend your voice to make even more projects possible - join us!

A Whole New Metro Network -- In Paris

A reader sent this article in to us, saying, "I'm sure you will enjoy this news story from Paris where the Grand Paris Express 'joins' the Purple Line as a rare example of circumferential rail in the suburbs." We are happy to see Paris catching up with us! (Xu, X. (2023, December 5). Paris is getting a whole new Metro network. And it’s huge. CNN Travel.)

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Transportation Budget Deficit

You may have seen the news regarding Gov. Moore's announcement regarding cuts to make up for a deficit in the transportation budget. This does not have immediate implications for Purple Line construction, but finding a sustainable funding approach is critical for the larger health of transit in our state and larger Metro funding challenges. The next meeting of the commission is today at 1 pm to 4 pm. The agenda, slides, and video of for past meetings are available on the commission website.

Photos from Around the Corridor

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

STAY CONNECTED

Get Connected

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website Purple Line NOW.

In today's edition of Purple Line NOW News, here's what you'll find:

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Double the Impact of Your Donation TODAY!
  • A Message from PLN Board President, Ralph Bennett
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • MARC Growth and Transformation Plan (Survey)
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  
  • Photos from Around the Corridor

Share This Newsletter

Please feel free to share this newsletter - no permission from us needed! You can always find a link to our newsletter on our Purple Line NOW website which makes it easy to share with your friends, neighbors, constituents, customers, and employees.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN?

Double the Impact of Your Donation TODAY!

A very generous donor continues to match every donation as we head into the holiday season! Every single donation to Purple Line NOW will be matched (dollar for dollar!) until we reach our goal of $6,000! That is a steep goal for us, but it is not only necessary in order for us to close the gap in our budget, but we are confident that with your help, we can meet it!

No matter the size of your donation, your support will have double the impact. We are so grateful!

Thank you to those who have given in the past two weeks since kicking off our campaign -- your donations have been matched and you are now listed on our website! Not sure if you have given in the past twelve months? You can see all of our donors on our website to be sure. If you do not see your name here, we hope you might consider a donation to Purple Line NOW. Every single penny we raise goes to continuing our mission.

Many of you know us well and have been thoughtful and generous donors throughout our journey toward riding the Purple Line. We have also had lots of new folks join us as construction has ramped up and visual signs of progress abound. 

In case you missed our previous newsletter, would like to share a few words from our Board President, Ralph Bennett, about why we are asking and why it is so critical that Purple Line NOW continues our work.

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you to highlight our low bank balance and the urgent need to raise funds to continue our important work. As you know, Purple Line NOW rarely holds special event fundraising, instead we rely on our donors and supporters to come through for us to assist when our financial needs outweigh our revenue.

At our recent quarterly board meeting, our Treasurer reported that our current bank balance is dangerously low and that we are at risk of being unable to continue working with the public to broaden our advocacy efforts and achieve our goals. We cannot afford to let this happen.

That is why I am asking for your help. Every donation, no matter the size, will help us continue our outreach to the community via our widely read bi-weekly newsletter, advocate for issues facing the Purple Line and beyond at the local, state, and federal levels, and continue hosting the very popular community webinars on a regular basis where we bring experts and industry leaders together to discuss all things Purple Line along the corridor.

If you or your organization have not donated in the past year, I ask you to consider a donation to Purple Line NOW at this time. All donors are listed on our website for a year following their donation. A very generous anonymous donor has offered to match all donations during this campaign, beginning today through the end of the year, or until our goal of $6,000 is reached, so your help will count twice as much this holiday season!

Your support will make a real difference in our efforts to close the significant gap in our budget and ensure our work continues until opening day of service.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Ralph Bennett, President
Purple Line NOW

Thank you from all of us here at Purple Line NOW!

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HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

MARC Growth and Transformation Plan

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is seeking public input on the development of goals for the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) service. The MARC Growth and Transformation Plan will update and expand upon the MARC Cornerstone Plan, last published in 2019, which provided strategic priorities for the system and the capital investment needed to achieve those initiatives.

The agency is seeking the public’s help in redefining the vision and goals of the MARC Train system so that it meets the needs of all Marylanders. The study area includes the existing MARC Train service area and potential extensions to Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. The updated document will reflect an implementation strategy and associated set of required capital projects.

The results of this survey will help shape the future of MARC Train service. You can find the survey and more information at this link: mta.maryland.gov/marc-growth-plan.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Photos from Around the Corridor

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

STAY CONNECTED

Get Connected

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website Purple Line NOW.

In today's edition of Purple Line NOW News, here's what you'll find:

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Your Donation Will Be DOUBLED!
  • A Message from PLN Board President, Ralph Bennett
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Talbot Avenue Bridge Lantern Walk
  • Beyond the Rails Grant Opportunity
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  
  • Highlights from the Fall Community Advisory Team Meetings

Share This Newsletter

Please feel free to share this newsletter - no permission from us needed! You can always find a link to our newsletter on our Purple Line NOW website which makes it easy to share with your friends, neighbors, constituents, customers, and employees.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN?

A Matching Gift to Purple Line NOW Makes Our Mission Go Farther!

As we embark on our annual fall campaign, we have some exciting news to share. An anonymous donor has once again offered to match each and every donation to Purple Line NOW beginning today through the end of the year or until we reach our goal of $6,000! That means, no matter the size of your donation, your support will have double the impact. We are so grateful!

Many of you know us well and have been thoughtful and generous donors throughout our journey toward riding the Purple Line. We have also had lots of new folks join us as construction has ramped up and visual signs of progress abound. We hope you will consider supporting us financially during this fall campaign and we would like to share a few words from our Board President, Ralph Bennett, about why we are asking and why it is so critical that Purple Line NOW continues our work.

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you to highlight our low bank balance and the urgent need to raise funds to continue our important work. As you know, Purple Line NOW rarely holds special event fundraising, instead we rely on our donors and supporters to come through for us to assist when our financial needs outweigh our revenue.

At our recent quarterly board meeting, our Treasurer reported that our current bank balance is dangerously low and that we are at risk of being unable to continue working with the public to broaden our advocacy efforts and achieve our goals. We cannot afford to let this happen.

That is why I am asking for your help. Every donation, no matter the size, will help us continue our outreach to the community via our widely read bi-weekly newsletter, advocate for issues facing the Purple Line and beyond at the local, state, and federal levels, and continue hosting the very popular community webinars on a regular basis where we bring experts and industry leaders together to discuss all things Purple Line along the corridor.

If you or your organization have not donated in the past year, I ask you to consider a donation to Purple Line NOW at this time. All donors are listed on our website for a year following their donation. A very generous anonymous donor has offered to match all donations during this campaign, beginning today through the end of the year, or until our goal of $6,000 is reached, so your help will count twice as much this holiday season!

Your support will make a real difference in our efforts to close the significant gap in our budget and ensure our work continues until opening day of service.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Ralph Bennett, President
Purple Line NOW

Thank you from all of us here at Purple Line NOW!

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Talbot Avenue Lantern Walk

The annual Talbot Avenue Bridge Lantern Walk was held this past week, on Saturday evening, November 11, at dusk. Thanks to Webb Smedley for some snaps of the event!

From their website: "The Lantern Walk began in 2018 as a way to weave together neighborhoods once divided by racial segregation. Lyttonsville, a historically African American community founded in 1853, and North Woodside, where racist deed covenants once prohibited Black people from living in the neighborhood except as domestic servants, were connected by the historic Talbot Avenue Bridge for over a century until its demolition in 2019 to make way for the Purple Line.  For more information about the Talbot Avenue Bridge, see two short documentary films: Talbot Avenue Bridge: The Historical Connection (by Brigitte Ayerves Valderas) and  The Bridge (by Jay Mallin)."

Even though the bridge remains an active construction site, participants were allowed to cross the new bridge during the event.

Beyond the Rails Grant Opportunity

The Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) has funded a grant program that will support organizations dedicated to improving our communities. Grants will range from $1,000 to $3,000 per year and will be awarded in the following categories:

• Community – Projects that support the overall wellbeing of adjacent communities (e.g., environment, health, recreation, education, economic opportunity, etc.). Potential example: Tot-lot equipment for a pre-school.
• Environment – Projects that enhance or protect the natural environment. Potential example: A local tree-planting initiatives.

If you know of an organization or group that might meet the criteria above, please share this information -- the deadline for application is November 30. Details on how to apply can be found on their website.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Highlights from the Fall Community Advisory Team Meetings

The final two fall Community Advisory Teams (CATs) meetings were held virtually earlier this month -- Glenridge (which includes the Glenridge and New Carrollton stations) and Riverdale Park (which includes Riverdale Park/Kenilworth Avenue and Beacon Heights/East Pines stations).

We encourage you to visit the website to view your respective CAT meeting presentation. Many thanks to the MDOT MTA staff for turning these presentations around so quickly for your viewing. Some of the meetings even included new station renderings, so be sure to take a peek!

We are reprinting the general highlights from the collective CAT meetings below, but be sure to check out the presentation for the stations closest to you:

It is SO exciting, after all these months, to see so much activity along the alignment! Presently, there are 60 active construction sites with over 1,100 workers bringing the project to life. Want to see the progress in photos?! Here’s a terrific video that captures the sensational work being done throughout the alignment.

The project is now 58% complete – we are over half way there! Underground utility relocations (one of the largest utility relocation projects in the country!) are nearly complete at 98%. Over half of the overhead catenary pole foundations along the alignment have been install and -- some really exciting news -- the first station canopies have been installed at Riverdale Park North-UMD. Viewing those gives us our first true taste of how these stations are going to look when finished!

As far as the Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) go, 26 out of the 28 are complete and ready for delivery to Maryland!

Other highlights, each of which deserves its own exclamation point (!!), include:

• The Bethesda excavation for the elevator has reached the bottom of the shaft!
• The Talbot Avenue bridge has concrete placed and the road will open this year!
• Nearly 1,500 linear feet of track has been laid on the University of Maryland campus!
• The Glenridge Operations and Maintenance facility is now fully operational!

The test track will be complete in the summer of 2025 before we begin a nearly year-long testing period, and finally passenger service is slated to begin in spring of 2027, fingers crossed.

Seeing all of the activity and progress happening above ground is a great way to kick off the holiday season!

STAY CONNECTED

Get Connected

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website Purple Line NOW.

In today's edition of Purple Line NOW News, here's what you'll find:

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • An Exciting Announcement is Coming!
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Final Two Community Advisory Team Meetings Scheduled
  • Beyond the Rails Grant Opportunity
  • NCSG Welcomes New Director
  • ACT Hosts Fall Gala
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  
  • Highlights from the Fall Community Advisory Team Meetings

Share This Newsletter

Please feel free to share this newsletter - no permission from us needed! You can always find a link to our newsletter on our Purple Line NOW website which makes it easy to share with your friends, neighbors, constituents, customers, and employees.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN?

An Exciting Announcement is Coming!

At the Purple Line NOW Quarterly Board meeting last week -- just a few days before Halloween, no less -- our treasurer delivered some scary news during her report. "Without a successful fundraising campaign this fall," she told us, "Purple Line NOW will be in the red for the first time as we close out the year." While this is indeed concerning news, we do have some exciting news on the horizon, that with your help, should help us end the year on a happier note. Read on!

While we are super excited to see construction in full swing, our work at Purple Line NOW will not be done until we can all ride the line together! For that reason, we ask you to keep an eye out for an exciting announcement about our end of year fundraising drive coming soon.

As always, your financial support helps us continue our advocacy efforts and ensure the Purple Line project is a success. If you are a previous donor, thank you for your past gift(s) to us and continuing your support into the future. If you are not sure whether you contributed to us in the past year, check out our current donors on our website. (All donors are listed for a year following their donation.)

If you are new to us, welcome! Please contact us with any questions you may have. 

The "DONATE" button below will take you directly to the donation page. Thank you in advance for your consideration and for all you do for our community!

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Fall Community Advisory Team Meeting Schedule

The last two meetings for the virtual fall Community Advisory Team (CATs) meetings are below. Visit their website for call information and a link to log into the meetings:

November 2
Riverdale Park-Glenridge/New Carrollton
6:00 p.m.

November 7
Long Branch
6:00 p.m.

Beyond the Rails Grant Opportunity

The Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) has funded a grant program that will support organizations dedicated to improving our communities. Grants will range from $1,000 to $3,000 per year and will be awarded in the following categories:

• Community – Projects that support the overall wellbeing of adjacent communities (e.g., environment, health, recreation, education, economic opportunity, etc.). Potential example: Tot-lot equipment for a pre-school.
• Environment – Projects that enhance or protect the natural environment. Potential example: A local tree-planting initiatives.

If you know of an organization or group that might meet the criteria above, please share this information -- the deadline for application is November 30. Details on how to apply can be found on their website.

NCSG Welcomes New Director

Purple Line NOW welcomes the new director of the National Center for Smart Growth, Dr. Kathryn Howell. Dr. Howell succeeds Gerrit Knaap, who had served in the role since 2002.  You can read a little more about the new director here: https://arch.umd.edu/news-events/updated-mapp-welcomes-new-ncsg-director-kathryn-howell

ACT Hosts Fall Gala

Action Committee for Transit will host their Gala on November 11 at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda. Please see their website if you are interested in attending.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Highlights from the Fall Community Advisory Team Meetings

All but two of the fall Community Advisory Teams (CATs) meetings have taken place virtually over the past month. Still to come are Riverdale Park-Glenridge/New Carrollton, tomorrow evening, November 2 and Long Branch on November 7.

We encourage you to visit the website to view your respective CAT meeting presentation, all of which have been posted as of today. Many thanks to the MDOT MTA staff for turning these presentations around so quickly for your viewing. Some of the meetings even included new station renderings, so be sure to take a peek!

It is SO exciting, after all these months, to see so much activity along the alignment! Presently, there are 60 active construction sites with over 1,100 workers bringing the project to life. Want to see the progress in photos?! Here’s a terrific video that captures the sensational work being done throughout the alignment.

The project is now 58% complete – we are over half way there! Underground utility relocations (one of the largest utility relocation projects in the country!) are nearly complete at 98%. Over half of the overhead catenary pole foundations along the alignment have been install and -- some really exciting news -- the first station canopies have been installed at Riverdale Park North-UMD. Viewing those gives us our first true taste of how these stations are going to look when finished!

As far as the Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) go, 26 out of the 28 are complete and ready for delivery to Maryland!

Other highlights, each of which deserves its own exclamation point (!!), include:

• The Bethesda excavation for the elevator has reached the bottom of the shaft!
• The Talbot Avenue bridge has concrete placed and the road will open this year!
• Nearly 1,500 linear feet of track has been laid on the University of Maryland campus!
• The Glenridge Operations and Maintenance facility is now fully operational!

The test track will be complete in the summer of 2025 before we begin a nearly year-long testing period, and finally passenger service is slated to begin in spring of 2027, fingers crossed.

Seeing all of the activity and progress happening above ground is a great way to kick off the holiday season!

STAY CONNECTED

Get Connected

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website Purple Line NOW.