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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Celebrating Dr. Glenn Orlin
  • Thank YOU!
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Tree Planting Information
  • ACT Organizes Efforts to Fully Fund Transit
  • From Our Friends at the Purple Line Corridor Coalition
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  • MDOT MTA Purple Line Website
  • Purple Line Status Report

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?

Celebrating Dr. Glenn Orlin

Last Tuesday, January 23, 2024, county elected officials, civil servants, activists, and other friends gathered to celebrate Council Senior Legislative Analyst Dr. Glenn Orlin's retirement after 33 years of service on the Montgomery County Council staff. Elected officials and a range of colleagues paid tribute to Glenn and his contributions as a provider of independent analysis to the Council. Former County Executive Ike Leggett credited Glenn as being a long time sparring partner and gave him credit for turning Ike into a Purple Line supporter as Ike transitioned from Council Member to County Executive. 

Glenn's public service goes even further back those 33 years, however. He joined the Montgomery County Department of Transportation one week before the announcement that the Georgetown Branch right-of-way would be up for sale. That right-of-way, which traverses between Silver Spring and Bethesda, was the genesis of the Purple Line.

During remarks at the party, Glenn gave a touching review of the many people inside and outside the government with whom he worked over the years. With regard to the Purple Line specifically he praised Purple Line NOW founder Harry Sanders as well as the work by the Action Committee for Transit that began before this organization was founded for building a constituency for the line through relentless public engagement. Barbara Sanders recalls Harry and Glenn having, "what seemed to be regular Saturday morning calls about the status of the project and how to keep it moving forward, always encouraging each other that it would, indeed, be completed."

All of us here at Purple Line NOW thank Glenn for his many years of service and wish him all the best on his new adventure!

Thank YOU!!!

We don't think there are enough exclamation points to convey how thrilled and grateful we are for the response we had to our matching campaign which ended on December 31! And, even after the ending date, supporters have sent donations in to help us keep our eye and elbow grease on our work. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

With your help, and with the help of an awesome donor who matched your donations, we were able to raise a whopping $9,305! Every donation, small and large, that came in throughout the holiday season had us cheering and so very thankful to have such amazing supporters. To our matching donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, we thank you for helping us spur others to give, as well. We simply could not have been as successful without that motivating nudge.

Our need is ongoing - we operate on a budget between $20,000 and $25,000 each year, so if you missed the matching campaign, please know that your donation any time of year in any amount is welcomed and necessary for us to continue our work. You can easily donate by clicking the Purple "Donate" button below.

Please take a look at the donors below who gifted Purple Line NOW over the past twelve months. 

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

FEATURED DONORS

The Malloy and Sanders Family

Tina, Don, and Jessie Slater

Purple Line Corridor Coalition

SUPPORTING DONORS

Ralph Bennett

Eric Talbot

ENGINEERS

Elizabeth Barbehenn

Jose Galdamez

John Robinson

Ben Ross

Nancy and Rob Soreng

CONDUCTORS
Anne Ambler and John Fay, Nicholas Brand, Brian and Bee Ditzler, Dr. Troy Jacobs and Dr. Kawsar Talaat, Gerrit Knaap, Greg Madden, Anita Morrison, Christine Scott and JohnR Llewellyn

COMMUTERS
Gus Bauman, John Carroll, Paul Goldman, Peter Gray, Margaret Greene, Stacy Kaplowitz, Jodie Kulpa-Eddy, Jay Miller, Ray Nosbaum, Kathy Porter, William Strang, Jerry Withers

PASSENGERS
Theo Brown, Tina Curry, M. G. Diamond, Patrick Dougherty, Elaine Emling & Michael Jenner, Patrick Flaherty, Lucile Freeman, Kay and William Gilcher, Richard Gollub, Jennifer McAuliffe, Judith Morenoff, Mark Perlman, Mark Posner, Tom Quinn

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Tree Planting Information

The Woodside Civic Association continues to encourage the planting of street trees in the neighborhood and some of the information from their recent meeting may be helpful to anyone in Montgomery County, regardless of which neighborhood you live:

• Click on the link for a detailed list of species the County will plant.
• Reforest Montgomery supports the planting of trees on private property. For information click on the link below or contact Mia Rothberg at 301-495-4614.
• Tree Montgomery also assists with trees on private property.
• Street Trees on state roads -- this includes 16th Street and Georgia Avenue -- is under the jurisdiction of the State Highway Administration. If you are interested in helping to get trees planted on 16th Street, please let the Woodside Civic Association know. While nothing can be done in the vicinity of the Purple Line work or near the 16th and Georgia Avenue intersections, funding may be available to make 16th Street greener between these areas.

ACT Organizes Efforts to Fully Fund Transit

Action Committee for Transit is coordinating a write-in effort to provide input to the state to fully fund WMATA. You can use this helpful form to find your state senator and provide support for increasing the transit budget.

From Our Friends at the Purple Line Corridor Coalition

PLCC has released a 2023–2027 Housing Action Plan, which includes seven core actions that will serve as a guide for the HAAT over the next 4–5 years. In the document, you’ll see ways to help more people and communities build and retain wealth through homeownership; you’ll see an expanded set of legal protections and resources to support tenants and amplify their voices; and you’ll see ways to connect the benefits of new homes and mixed-use development to the needs and aspirations of communities along the Purple Line. 

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

MDOT MTA Purple Line Website

If you haven't visited the MDOT MTA Purple Line website in a while, you are in for a treat -- they've refreshed the website and added a whole bunch of new features to their newsletter, including station renderings! The carousel of images on the website is reason enough to take a gander.

Purple Line Status Report

In the January 2024 MDOT MTA report to the Maryland General Assembly, Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and House Appropriations Committee, we thought the following graph might help understand where particular segments are in terms of completion. If you are interested in reading the full report, you can find it here.

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?
  • Happy New Year!
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Please Share With Your Baltimore Friends
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  • Our Top Ten Purple Line Stories of 2023!

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 New Year!

The wait is over! Our annual Top Ten List is below, so keep on reading!

But, first we want to let you know that we will have the final results of our matching campaign for you in the next edition of Purple Line NOW News. In the meantime, we want to thank EVERYONE who donated during the campaign! We are astounded by the generosity that abounds in our Purple Line NOW community and grateful to all who support us in so many ways. 

Our need is ongoing, so if you missed the matching campaign, please know that your donation any time of year in any amount is welcomed and necessary for us to continue our work. You can easily donate by clicking the Purple "Donate" button below.

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

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

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!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Our Top Ten Purple Line Stories of 2023

As we have been doing since Purple Line NOW News debuted, our team gets together to look at the top stories that made our list for the past year! Without further delay, here are the Top Ten Purple Line happenings of 2023, in no particular order, that landed on our radar over the previous twelve months:

1) Throughout the Purple Line corridor, an iconic visual of progress has begun to pepper the landscape -- TRACKS! Over 1,500 linear feet of track has been laid in a variety of areas, including at the Operations and Maintenance Facility. After so many months of underground utility relocation, track installation is one of the many signs that the Purple Line is well on its way to opening day!

2) You may have seen the news regarding Gov. Moore's announcement regarding cuts to make up for a deficit in the transportation budget. We were pleased to note that those cuts will 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.

3) Although the Talbot Avenue Bridge is slated to open very soon, we were delighted to see a ceremonial walk across the bridge between the Lyttonsville and Woodside communities back in November. When the bridge opens to the public, the event will surely be near the top of the Top Ten list!

4) Did you know the underground utility relocation phase of building the Purple Line is one of the largest utility relocation efforts in the country? While underground utility relocation isn’t nearly as fun to write about as hoisting bridges, we understand how important it was and excited to hear during the Community Advisory Team meetings this fall, they are nearly complete!

5) This fall we learned, in a delightful sign of progress, that station canopies are being installed! Station canopies will provide shade and shelter at most of the stations and truly bring home the vision set out in the artwork we have been eyeing for years. The first to go up was at the Riverdale North Station (which will also be the first station to be completed.)

6) Not all happenings are good news, unfortunately. One of the biggest stories of the year happened in July when MTA and PLTP requested approval from the Board of Public Works for a “modification to the Purple Line Public-Private Partnership (P3) Agreement to formally extends the contractual deadline for achieving Revenue Service Availability to Spring 2027.”

7) Want a breathtaking sign of progress? One of the most visible signs of progress occurred in January when the multi-use pedestrian bridge over Connecticut Avenue was installed during the wee hours of the night. According to the Purple Line Team, the 190k-pound structure was placed at 3 a.m. while most people slept!

8) The Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) is up and running and fully operational. Soon, the facility and the testing tracks will welcome the new rail cars waiting to be delivered!

9) Blasting began and the final depth of 130 feet was reached for the Bethesda elevator shaft back in the spring of 2023.

10) For 2023, we found the uptick in construction across the Purple Line corridor one of the most exciting things to see after a long year of gearing up! Presently, there are 60 active construction sites with over 1,100 workers bringing the project to life. MTA reports that the project is over the halfway point at 58% completion. Want to see the progress in photos?! Here’s a terrific video that captures the sensational work being done throughout the alignment.

As we look forward into 2024 for even more signs of progress -- rail cars arriving at the OMF, bridges opening, more canopies installed -- we are incredibly excited to inch our way toward taking that first ride!

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.

There are just a few hours left in our TRIPLE matching campaign!

With time running out, this will be our final ask for 2023: Until the stroke of midnight (unless we reach our goal first), all gifts to Purple Line NOW will have TRIPLE the impact thanks to a generous donor who has offered to increase their match of your gift 2-1 in an effort to get us over the top of our goal of $6,000!

All gifts, of any size, are welcome and will help us close the significant gap in our budget, but time is truly running out on this offer. If you can consider a donation to Purple Line NOW, this is a great way to make your donation s-t-r-e-t-c-h!

Thank you to EVERYONE who has jumped in to help -- every penny you have donated will be used to continue our mission of writing, publishing, and sending our bi-weekly newsletter, hosting our annual (and sometimes twice a year!) forum series, and continuing our advocacy work with elected officials, the concessionaire, the state, and other transit organizations. We also provide liaison services to help those of you with questions get in touch with the folks who have the answers.

We are SO grateful to each of you.;

You can see all of our donors on our website. If you do not see your name here, we hope you might consider a donation to Purple Line NOW this weekend. 

In case you missed our previous newsletters, 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.

Thank you for all you do for us and for our community. Happy New Year!

Purple Line NOW
https://www.purplelinenow.com/

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.