Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 13, 2022

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

NEW BUILDER CONTRACT SLATES PURPLE LINE TO OPEN FALL 2026

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Since the departure of the previous builder, one of the most persistent and critical questions from the public has been when the Purple Line will open. Maryland Transit Administration was not comfortable providing estimates until a new builder was selected as that would be part of the competition and negotiation. In November, we learned that the new builder would be Maryland Transit Solutions, made up of the U.S. subsidiaries Dragados USA, Inc. (Dragados) and OHLA Group, Inc. (OHLA).

Yesterday, Maryland announced the new schedule -- opening day is to come in late 2026 (Shaver, K. “Purple Line Will Open Late.” Washington Post, 12 January 2021.) The new opening timeframe would be the date in which the entire line is set to open. As part of the competitive process for attracting a new builder, Maryland moved away from the plan to open the project in stages.

The cost of construction increases by $1.4 billion, bringing the total cost, including 30 years of operations, from $5.6 to $9.3 billion. The new contract will go to the Board of Public Works at the January 26 meeting for approval by Maryland’s governor, treasurer, and comptroller.

Purple Line NOW Board President Ralph Bennett reacted to the news by saying, “The delay that has resulted in pushing the project to 2026 along with the cost increases are a huge disappointment, but one influenced by economy-wide conditions.” In their transportation road show late last fall, Secretary Slater reported that pandemic disruptions, including material costs and supply chain challenges, as well as labor pool shortages have contributed to both cost and time increases.

Bennett emphasized that the fundamental strengths of the line remain. “It is filling the missing east-west connection that brings together four Metro branches and three MARC lines from Bethesda to New Carrollton. Its role as a jobs line, bringing an estimated $2.2 billion in annual growth to our region can be seen in developments occurring and planned throughout the corridor. The Purple Line will help address the mounting cost of transit-accessible housing, and its environmental benefits in taking 17,000 cars off the road have only grown more urgent. Finally, it will complete the Capital Crescent Trail extension between Bethesda and Silver Spring.”

Local officials noted the pain of the delay, but pointed to the criticality of completing the project to attain the benefits and end the disruption. This sentiment was echoed by Purple Line NOW Vice President Greg Sanders, “I think it’s safe to say Maryland wants more certainty and they are willing to pay a premium to get it.” Addressing the cost increases, Sanders continued, “The numbers are bigger than we’d like and it’s later than we’d like, but the key thing is getting to that opening day.”

Critically, as Maryland officials explained, key risks and sources of conflict are now behind the project. There were four causes of the delays that the builder raised in the $850 million dispute with Maryland: the costs added by the lawsuit inflicted delay, the pace of property acquisition, the freight company CSX demanding a separation wall for a portion of the right of way, and environmental permits. MDOT MTA Purple Line Project Manager Matthew Pollack told reporters that the State has resolved the design of the wall, has the permits in hand, and full “legal control” of all the needed properties.

In a recap of the status of the project earlier this week, Mr. Sanders cited the massive task of relocating utilities as another regular source of problems for infrastructure projects. Maryland used the downtime while searching for a new builder to take over the 150 contracts and has made significant progress, according to the State’s year end compilation, utility relocations are now 66 percent complete and design is 95 percent complete. Finally, Sanders notes, “A frivolous lawsuit cost the state precious time and by directly causing nearly a year of delay, managed to seed conflict and cost Maryland leverage in the original agreement. Vitally, the last of the suits have been dismissed and the higher courts have been consistent in finding them without merit.”

Purple Line NOW Treasurer Tina Slater noted one piece of good news that emerged last fall at the Maryland Transportation Roadshow, “As part of this new contract, Maryland is buying additional light rail trains. This was always planned, but with huge progress completed on the initial set of light rail cars, this was an opportunity to reduce headways at rush hour from the initial time of 7.5 minutes. This is one of the most important factors for the quality of transit and a practical demonstration that Maryland was looking for best value when bringing on a new builder. It will have been some 40 years from the initial idea of a trolley on the Georgetown Branch to the complete on the Purple Line, and it could have been completed much more cheaply without a series of unnecessary delays. However, what matters now is ending the disruption and gaining the benefits of the line, and that end is now in sight.”

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Purple Line NOW, a non-profit organization formed in 2002, advocates for the Purple Line on behalf of citizen, business, environmental, civic, minority and labor organizations. Purple Line NOW's mission is to expand the mobility choices for the residents of the Washington Metropolitan area. The organization has been instrumental moving the project forward by engaging elected officials and defending the project against detractors. More than 100 organizations have gone on record in support of the Purple Line through Purple Line NOW! More information can be found at the Purple Line NOW! website: www.purplelinenow.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 19, 2019

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

PURPLE LINE NOW WELCOMES NEW CEO OF PURPLE LINE TRANSIT PARTNERS

SILVER SPPRING, Md . – Purple Line NOW extends a warm welcome to Peter van der Waart, incoming Chief Executive Officer of the Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) after his appointment was announced earlier this week. Purple Line NOW works closely with the concessionaire (the private sector partner of the Maryland Transit Administration) to stay abreast of construction issues and to provide the public in-depth information whenever possible. We look forward to continuing our work with the new leadership of the project’s builder. Mr. van der Waart brings nearly 30 years of industry experience with extensive background in public-private partnerships (P3s), “both of which will serve the project well,” Purple Line NOW’s Vice President Greg Sanders said, adding, “we are also heartened to know that the new CEO has served on the PLTP Board of Directors for the past several years, so he will hit the ground running with a short learning curve.”

Our organization also wants to take a moment to highlight the hard work of outgoing CEO, Fred Craig, whose dedication, candor, and management has laid a solid foundation for the project which included the completion of the tunnel excavation and the acceleration of construction following a year-long delay resulting from a frivolous lawsuit. Purple Line NOW is especially appreciative of Mr. Craig’s work to keep the public informed of project status in a forthright and clear manner. PLN Board President Ralph Bennett said in an interview on Wednesday when the news broke, “Mr. Craig has been a terrific asset because of his candor and accessibility to the public.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 10, 2019

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

PURPLE LINE NOW DISMAYED AT FURTHER DELAY RISK, BUT HEARTENED BY SIGNS OF PROGRESS

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Purple Line NOW is dismayed that the opening of the line may be delayed past the updated fall of 2022 estimate. President Ralph Bennett elaborates, “Negotiations are still ongoing between the state and the concessionaire, so we should take all numbers from one side’s reports with a grain of salt. However, as we warned at the time, the root cause is a frivolous lawsuit that put a hold on much of the construction activities for a year and has both schedule and cost implications.” While the already confirmed delay from spring to fall of 2022 is a real loss to citizens eagerly awaiting improved east-west mobility, Bennett noted that we are already seeing some of the benefits of the line. “From Bethesda to New Carrollton, the private sector is pursuing new development that will bring jobs, housing, and amenities to present and future residents of our state. At our forum this evening, we’ll be hearing about the how the Purple Line is already positively transforming the future of College Park and the University of Maryland.”

Vice President Greg Sanders notes that MTA long warned against the costs of the injunction, which as advocates predicted was eventually unanimously overturned on appeal. “The state had warned in legal filing of the compounding costs of a year of lawsuit-induced delays that could exceed $150 million. Even so, the state is correct to demand justification from the concessionaire for any cost increases as the complications introduced by the lawsuit are undeniable, but are not a blanket excuse for any future problems. Our primary concern is not how long it takes to work out responsible and final numbers, but instead that good work continues in the meantime and that both public and private partners work to bring us swiftly and efficiently to opening day.”

Purple Line NOW Treasurer Tina Slater noted reasons for optimism on that front. “Construction always involves complications, from noise concerns for the tunnel to the few weeks of delays for the Lyttonsville bridge. Thankfully, we’ve seen concrete signs of project: the December breakthrough of the upper layer of the Plymouth Street tunneling project and just yesterday Lyttonsville Bridge reopened to traffic.” The Purple Line is happening and the private sector is taking notice. Maryland Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn recently announced “$1.5 [billion] in confirmed residential and commercial projects along the 16.2 mile Purple Line corridor.” Slater pointed to the College Park area in particular, “Great things are in store for our region and we can see that in what’s happening with College Park and the University of Maryland, as our expert panel will be discussing tonight at our forum at City Hall.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 20, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

FULL SPEED AHEAD FOR THE PURPLE LINE AFTER APPEAL VINDICATION

SILVER SPPRING, Md . - Purple Line NOW celebrates the vindication of the Purple Line’s purpose and its process by a unanimous opinion from the D.C. Federal Circuit Court. The decision by Judge Judith Rogers is a complete win for the Purple Line. The panel rejected the requirement for another related study to analyze the effects of Metro’s troubles and upheld Judge Leon’s rejection of a range of insubstantial environmental claims.

PLN President Ralph Bennett is ready to move forward, “The question of whether the Purple Line will be built has been answered. We are now focused on successful implementation and ensuring that the benefits are widespread. Towards that end, we are hosting a forum at Montgomery College on January 18th with Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn and an expert panel to update the public on the project's status.” The day is somewhat bittersweet, however, because it was so long in coming, “The project was operating under constrained conditions for a year, delaying the start, forcing costly inefficiencies, and delaying the launch of important tools such as the Community Advisory Teams. We all have paid too high a price for this frivolous lawsuit."

Vice President Greg Sanders describes the decision as good news, not just for the Purple Line, but for mass transit nationwide. "As the plaintiffs have shown with their second lawsuit, well-resourced opponents can try to keep broadly beneficial projects they object to tied up in court, but this ruling repeatedly upheld the standard that the courts owe deference to the federal and state experts." Specifically, on the issue of Metro ridership, the court was clear that these experts did their homework: "FTA and Maryland sufficiently examined the impact of Metrorail issues on the Purple Line’s three purposes, and reasonably concluded that Metrorail problems would not change the project’s preferred alternative, grounding that conclusion on an assessment of five ridership scenarios. These circumstances warrant deference by the court to FTA’s (and Maryland’s) reasonable, fact-intensive, technical determination that preparation of a [Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement] was not required."

PLN Treasurer Tina Slater concluded by expressing her gratitude for the elected officials who stood by the project and the lawyers and other experts who worked so hard to see it through this challenging period. "The Purple Line is a bipartisan success story in our polarized times. Governor Hogan kept his commitments and Attorney General Frosh played a pivotal role in this victory. County Executives Leggett and Baker, as well as both Counties' Councils and public servants were steadfast and testified to the project's benefits. Other allies, from business and labor, environmentalists and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, as well as members of the public from all walks of life wrote letters, went to rallies, and did their part." Slater concluded, "This success was only possible thanks to a grand coalition of supporters. We intend to do our part and see the project through to completion."

Information about the organization's January 18 forum with Secretary Rahn can be found on the Purple Line NOW website. The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited and seats must be reserved in advance.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

PURPLE LINE ADVOCACY GROUP CHEERS COURT OF APPEALS REINSTATEMENT

SILVER SPRING, Md. - "We are encouraged, but not surprised, that the DC Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated the Purple Line's environmental approval pending appeal," Purple Line NOW President Ralph Bennett said in a statement following the ruling this afternoon, elaborating, "this ruling does not just remove the legal obstacle that has wasted 11 months and countless millions, it is also a vote of confidence in the merit of the Purple Line's case. As the court noted in its order, contrary to Judge Leon's earlier ruling 'the State of Maryland has satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay pending appeal.'"

Purple Line NOW Treasurer Tina Slater discussed what comes next. "The Federal Transit Administration had been only days away from a signing ceremony on a Full Funding Grant Agreement when the project was put on an unwarranted hold. We were heartened when the FTA joined the appeal and hope they will quickly execute the Purple Line's Full Funding Grant Agreement, so construction can begin without further costly delays. Thanks to our Congressional Delegation, the money for the project remains available, and we trust that along with Governor Hogan, they will see the project through the remaining federal steps to groundbreaking."

The stay allows movement forward, but does not completely resolve the final appeal. Purple Line NOW Vice President Greg Sanders added, "The plaintiffs had filed more frivolous motions at the district court level that mean that we do not yet know the briefing schedule for the final decision. However, by restoring the record of decision, the court has signaled that Maryland's relief does not need to wait on the resolution of these questions. The final decision is, of course, still important, but we trust that Maryland's case will prevail on the merits.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

ADVOCACY GROUP CONDEMNS JUDGE LEON'S REMARKS IN THURSDAY'S PURPLE LINE HEARING

SILVER SPRING, Md. - During Thursday's oral hearing on the Purple Line, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon repeatedly made clear that his main objection to the project was the cost to federal taxpayers. Purple Line NOW Vice President Greg Sanders attended the hearing and reacted, “Judge Leon’s actions are the definition of legislating from the bench. The Federal Transit Administration has determined that the fundamentals for the Purple Line are so good that it would be worth building, even in the theoretical extreme of no transfers from Metrorail. The legislative branch has also weighed in - Congress has appropriated $325 million dollars towards the eventual construction. Judge Leon seeks to substitute his judgment for those of transit experts, as well as elected officials from both the federal government and the state of Maryland, despite the fact that this is expressly forbidden by the National Environmental Policy Act.”

Purple Line NOW condemns Judge Leon’s renewed attempts to shut down the Purple Line by delaying a fair hearing for the project. Albert Ferlo, an attorney for the state of Maryland, pointed out that typically when judges are asked to place a hold on their own decision, they summarily deny the hold rather than draw the process out.

Purple Line NOW President Ralph Bennett remarked, “Judge Leon has obviously made up his mind about the Purple Line. This oral hearing and his threat of taking days or weeks to issue a decision, are a return to stalling tactics apparently intended to kill the project.”

Purple Line NOW Treasurer Tina Slater was agog at hearing the Judge Leon's logic, “If the stakes weren’t so high, it would be a joke worthy of Kafka. Judge Leon is using the National Environmental Protection Act to enforce his political view that we’re spending too much on transit. I’m not a lawyer and I don’t know what his stalling tactics will do to the attempt to get the stay, but I do know that the case for overturning his blatant disregard of precedent just got stronger." Slater continued, "Judge Leon may not care about our communities stuck in traffic and lacking a desperately needed east-west option to get to school or jobs, but we intend to keep fighting to connect our communities, which, incidentally, would bring in much more money in economic growth and new revenue than it costs to build the project.”

Purple Line NOW vows to continue its mission of speaking up for the many and diverse communities that would benefit from the Purple Line and educating the public as the fight moves to the appeals court.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 30, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

TRANSIT ADVOCATES APPLAUD TODAY'S PURPLE LINE RULING

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Purple Line NOW applauds U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon’s ruling today dismissing the plaintiffs’ environmental claims in the lawsuit against the Purple Line. In ruling against these claims and issuing a final judgment in the case, the court cleared the way for the MTA and FTA to appeal his earlier ruling ordering a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The appeal now offers a clear path forward and we ask that the state continue funding the Purple Line throughout this process to avoid a costly slow-down.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

PURPLE LINE NOW ISSUES STATEMENT ON TODAY'S RULING BY JUDGE LEON

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Purple Line NOW is disappointed by Judge Leon's ruling and calls for a quick appeal. PLN's Board President Ralph Bennett responded, "The slapdash and tardy ruling outright ignores much of the expert testimony that has already answered questions raised again by the Court. Still, we are relieved to finally have a ruling, as Judge Leon has given ample grounds for appeal and we trust that the fundamental strength of the project will be vindicated in higher court."

The ruling came five months after the FTA testimony was submitted and 22 days after the expedited ruling deadline requested by the State of Maryland. Bennett continued, "We are thankful that Attorney General Frosh filed the writ of mandamus, otherwise we would likely still be waiting on Judge Leon. We call on the state to quickly appeal. Judge Leon was already given the hard look that he asked for."

Purple Line NOW Treasurer Tina Slater added, "This is a project with wide support in the region, the bipartisan support of Maryland's Governor, Montgomery and Prince George's county elected officials, the Maryland Legislature, our Congressional delegation, not mention to businesses, unions, and environmental groups. Our region needs the east/west connections provided by the Purple Line and the growth shown by new developments along the corridor only reinforce that need."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 17, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Purple Line NOW Commends Maryland’s Petition for Relief from Judge Leon’s Inaction

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Purple Line NOW President Ralph Bennett praised the state for filing a petition for a Writ of Mandamus to ask the D.C. Circuit Court to compel Judge Leon to issue a ruling on the case holding up the Purple Line. “We respect the independence of the Judiciary, and regret that this step is necessary. However, we support Governor Hogan’s request for this step. As leaders of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties pointed out at Purple Line NOW's May 2, 2017 press conference, all the evidence has been in for months, and we have a right to ask for a reasonable and timely decision. Attorney General Frosh has exhausted all options short of going to the Circuit Court, but Judge Leon has ignored the request for an expedited decision. We are heartened that the Circuit Court has already taken up this issue and has chosen a timely deadline for the plaintiffs to make a response.”

“Judge Leon’s neglect of this case has cost Maryland an estimated $13 million a month,” said Purple Line NOW’s Vice President Greg Sanders. “The Purple Line’s contract was signed and half a billion dollars in private financing was secured before the Court suspended the record of decision.” The signed contract raises the stakes for Maryland; the project cannot just be suspended until a decision is announced. Maryland’s Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn has testified that this delay is increasing the risk that Maryland could lose the Purple Line. The fact that the longstanding need for the project is only being increased by new developments that anticipated better east-west connections is making matters worse. Secretary Rahn has estimated that Maryland could lose over $800 million in investments, including $200 million in termination costs.

Purple Line NOW’s treasurer Tina Slater adds, “Of course, MTA and the private partner haven’t been sitting on their hands during this delay - they’ve put those fixed expenses to the best use they can, finalizing engineering, conducting soil boring, and soliciting station art. But by preventing the start of construction and drawing out proceedings, we can see the symptoms of Judge Leon’s disruptions in missed construction windows of opportunity, in the dormant community advisory teams.” This loss grows worse over time, as problems cascade and as Maryland goes longer without planned federal reimbursement. “The costs of delay have led Secretary Rahn to declare that Maryland would have to slow down work on the Purple Line starting June 1st if a decision isn’t rendered. As the Writ of Mandamus makes clear, this approach leads to short term spending reductions resulting in waste and higher longer term costs. While Purple Line NOW will do all it can to prevent cancellation, the Writ notes that this delay-prompted measure puts the project at grave risk.”

Bennett concluded, “The Purple Line is at risk of cancellation not on the merits, but because justice has been delayed. The recently passed omnibus spending bill means that the money is there for the Purple Line, but the clock is ticking. Once the final arguments are in on May 25th, we call on the Circuit Court to remedy this judicial negligence by setting a deadline that spares Maryland a destructive slowdown in work. No matter what happens next, the need for the Purple Line is growing. Our region needs the resilience that comes from an east-west connection across four Metro lines and three Marc lines. We need the 6,300 direct and indirect jobs estimated to come from construction alone, and we need the transportation alternative that will give an estimated 67,000 plus riders a day closer access to jobs, school, shopping, and family.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 19, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

COALITION OF 45 BUSINESS LEADERS ASKS SECRETARY CHAO TO FUND PURPLE LINE

Silver Spring, MD – A coalition of 45 business leaders wrote to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao last week, urging her to finalize the Purple Line’s $900 million New Starts grant as soon as the project’s Record of Decision is reinstated by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon.

The letter was signed by developers with projects in both Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, including JBG, the Bozzuto Group, Federal Realty, Carr Properties, and Urban Atlantic. Marriott International, which recently announced the relocation of its headquarters to a new 700,000 square foot “urban campus” in downtown Bethesda, also signed on. In addition, business organizations like the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Montgomery and Prince George’s Chambers of Commerce, representing hundreds of businesses and employers in the region, lent their names to this effort.

The letter points out that the Purple Line is a privately-financed, shovel-ready infrastructure project that will create thousands of jobs. In addition, it is only the second public-private transit project in the United States and its cancellation “would have a powerful negative impact on the ability to attract future private infrastructure investment.”

Purple Line Now President Ralph Bennett applauds the development and business community for speaking up for this project, which has been decades in the making. “The people of Maryland have waited far too long for the Purple Line to be built, and construction would have finally begun months ago were it not for a frivolous lawsuit filed by a group of Chevy Chase opponents who misuse the legal system to advance their own narrow self interest.” Bennett adds that “businesses know that the Purple Line is an investment in our region’s future that will pay off many times over in increased incomes, property values, and quality of life.”

The Purple Line was scheduled to begin construction in the fall of 2016, but was delayed by Judge Leon days before the Federal Transit Administration was scheduled to sign a $900 million grant for the project. The MTA and its private partner, the Purple Line Transit Partners, have been continuing work on right-of-way acquisition, design, and pre-construction surveys. However, before construction can begin, the judge must rule on an updated ridership analysis submitted in December at his request and then the FTA must sign the Full Funding Grant Agreement.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Maryland Attorney General Requests Prompt Decision on the Purple Line

Silver Spring, MD - Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh filed a motion with U. S. District Judge Richard Leon yesterday requesting an expedited ruling and restoration of the Purple Line’s Record of Decision.

The Attorney General's request asks for a final judgment by April 28 on the five pending summary judgment motions in the lawsuit filed by the Friends of the Capital Crescent Trail, an ad hoc organization of Chevy Chase residents most of whom live near the proposed light rail route, against the Federal Transit Administration and Maryland Transit Administration. Since the turn of the twentieth century, this route was used as a freight rail line, which was then purchased by Montgomery County in the mid-1980s for the express purpose of establishing a passenger rail line between Bethesda and Silver Spring, with an adjacent walking and bicycling trail.

As an alternative, the motion asks Judge Leon to simply restore the Record of Decision for the project, which the judge vacated on August 3, 2016, four days before the state was to receive its $900 million Full Funding Grant Agreement. Without the Record of Decision or the federal grant, construction cannot begin on the Purple Line.

The motion notes that continued delay by the judge risks the Purple Line's future being settled by default rather than on its merits. According to the motion, further delay will cost the state $13 million per month, and up to $650 million if the project is abandoned. This amount includes hundreds of millions in State and Federal funds already invested, as well as termination costs "which could exceed $100 million" payable to the state’s private partner, which has been working on the project since the summer of 2016.

The fundamental strengths of the project have been demonstrated convincingly and repeatedly during the five-year public review process. The Purple Line will provide alternative mobility to residents in traffic-saturated Montgomery and Prince George's counties, complementing and reinforcing the Metro system. In the near term, it will create construction jobs and is already stimulating development and investment along the 16-mile route extending through both counties. In the longer term, it is estimated to generate billions of dollars in new growth and annual revenue for the state. These merits have already justified more than $400 million in existing state investment in the project, which will be jeopardized by further delay.

Purple Line NOW adds our voice to this request, and respectfully ask the court to honor the decisions made by the residents of Maryland and their bipartisan elected leaders over many years of debate and process, and allow the Purple Line to move forward.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Purple Line NOW Applauds Governor Hogan for Prioritizing Maryland’s Purple Line Project

Silver Spring, MD - Purple Line NOW, an advocacy organization that has been working for more than 20 years to get this project built, applauds the March 22nd letter sent by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, listing the Purple Line as a high priority for Maryland.

The Purple Line exemplifies the kind of project that the Trump administration has called for. It will create jobs, it is more than shovel ready, and it is funded through a public private partnership. We look forward to working with the Governor to see that the Federal Full Funding agreement is signed the moment the court-ordered delay has been lifted.

As Governor Hogan said in 2015 when he announced Maryland’s commitment to fund this project, “The Purple Line is a long-term investment that will be an important economic driver for Maryland … it will be a long-term asset to our state attracting businesses and making Maryland a better place to live and work ...” Maryland and the FTA have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the Purple Line and developers and local governments are creating and implementing plans based on its construction.

Any move to further delay the Purple Line would deny relief to Marylanders desperate for east-west transportation alternatives, pull the rug out from under our business community, betray promises of investment in new infrastructure, and overturn the bipartisan choice of Maryland’s elected leaders.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2017

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Lift the Hold on the Purple Line. It’s About Dang Time.

Silver Spring, MD - A frivolous lawsuit by opponents has kept the Purple Line on hold since August 3rd of 2016, more than half a year ago! In issuing that stay, the Court cited its dissatisfaction with the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) one paragraph answer to its question on the implications of Metrorail’s safety and ridership challenges. Both the FTA and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) have listened to United States District Court Judge Richard Leon’s concern and thoroughly addressed this question, examining five different ridership scenarios, looking at questions such as ride-hailing services, and presenting ample evidence that the Purple Line fills a dire need for east-west transportation alternatives regardless of the state of Metrorail.

Last fall, the Court acknowledged the principle that decisions on whether more studies are necessary "'requires a high level of technical expertise’ that would benefit from the ‘informed discretion of the responsible federal agencies.”’ The federal and state experts have laid out an open and shut case and the plaintiffs, despite being granted an extension, simply rehashed tired, unsupported, and irrelevant arguments. We commend the court for rejecting the plaintiffs’ further stalling tactics, but all the arguments were submitted by January 13th. We call on the Court to rule as expeditiously as possible, to mitigate the cost of the delay.

The risks of further delay are mounting. The concessionaire and the MTA have worked very hard to bring the project to the very brink of construction. Engineers have advanced designs, teams have been out in the community conducting soil borings, and initial permits are in place pending the restoration of the record of decision. The upside is that the project could not be more shovel ready and early signs show that it remains on the infrastructure shortlist for the new administration. The downside is that further construction delay may impose significant added costs. This lawsuit is only the latest instance of stalling tactics that have prevented better east-west connections for decades and that may push back the March 2022 start date. The Purple Line will add resilience to Metrorail and bring relief to our region’s workers, students, and shoppers. We call on Judge Leon, for the sake of our community, to allow Maryland to Build the Purple Line, Now!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2016

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Purple Line NOW Reacts to Mixed Ruling

Silver Spring, MD - Purple Line NOW is disappointed that Judge Leon has declined to reinstate the Purple Line’s Record of Decision and thus continues to delay groundbreaking. Purple Line NOW President Ralph Bennett notes that “the evidence of Maryland’s need for east-west connections remains overwhelming. It can be seen every day in the form of overcrowded rush hour buses, in Marriott’s new Bethesda-based headquarters, and in the bipartisan support the project continues to enjoy.”

The Purple Line is not a Metrorail project--it is owned by the Maryland Transit Administration and has its own dedicated funding stream and private partner to manage operations and maintenance. Nonetheless, Bennett notes that “the Purple Line will reinforce Metrorail by providing convenient access to tens of thousands of new riders and adding resilience by connecting Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, and New Carrollton. Our region needs the Purple Line today! Construction cannot start soon enough.”

Purple Line NOW Vice President Greg Sanders said that the mixed ruling has a silver lining for the Purple Line, noting that the organization was gratified that Judge Leon recognized the precedent that these sort of decisions "require a high level of technical expertise" and benefit from "the informed discretion of responsible federal agencies."

Instead of demanding an expensive and time consuming Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), the court has now given the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) a chance to weigh in with more information. Sanders adds that “while the court did not consider new information as part of its ruling, federal experts have already gathered compelling evidence of the need for the Purple Line regardless of Metrorail’s present challenges.” Lucy Garliauskas, the FTA's Associate Administrator for Planning and Environment, has testified that projected Purple Line ridership numbers, even setting aside Metrorail transfers entirely, “adequately justify the purpose and need of the project.”

Mr. Bennett concludes, “it certainly seems to us that the FTA and Maryland are on firm ground if they choose to appeal the court’s choice to keep the project on hold.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2016

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Announcing an Innovative Series: Envisioning the Purple Line!
Individual Forums Led by Renowned Transit and Community Leaders

Silver Spring, MD - For over two decades, Purple Line NOW has brought together communities and decision-makers. As the region get closer to putting shovel to dirt, residents, businesses, and stakeholders located near the route of the new transit line are hungry for information about the project.

In response, the organization is announcing that over the next twelve months they will host an informative and innovative series of individual forums led by leading experts in their fields on a variety of topics related to the Purple Line. These events will provide useful information to those impacted by the line and help clarify the status of the project. Ralph Bennett, President of Purple Line NOW and University of Maryland Emeritus Professor, says he is "encouraged by the progress the project is making," but he underscores the need for "increased community involvement and education as the Purple Line becomes reality."

The first forum in the series, entitled Purple Line and a New College Park will be held on Monday, January 25 at the University of Maryland in the Atrium of Stamp Student Union. Panelists will include: Carlo Colella, Vice President for Administration and Finance (University of Maryland); Dannielle Glaros, Prince George's County Councilmember; Eric Olson, Executive Director, College Park City - University Partnership; Maya Spaur, Student Government Association - Sustainability Committee; Randall Toussaint, Economic Development Coordinator for College Park; Andy Fellows, former College Park Mayor; Gerrit Knaap, Executive Director of the Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the University of Maryland. Other panelists will be added as they confirm.

Each forum in the series is open and free to the public and the media, but seats must be reserved in advance as space is limited. Future events in the series will include topics such as Understanding the Public Private Partnership coming this spring and What Opportunities Will the Purple Line Bring to Our Communities? occurring later in the year. More information can be found at the Purple Line NOW website: www.purplelinenow.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2015

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Transit Community and Business Leaders Applaud Governor Hogan's Decision to Build the Purple Line!

Silver Spring, MD - After decades of hard work by environmental and transit activists and political, community, and business leaders, the Purple Line is poised to break ground within a year. Today, Governor Hogan gave the green light to the project, describing the line as long term investment in Maryland's economic future. Initial details released by Secretary of Transportation, Pete Rahn are promising and we look forward to learning more. While we believe the Purple Line provided superb return on value even as originally proposed, we are eager to work with the Governor, Secretary Rahn, as well as civil servants and elected officials at all levels of government, concessionaires, and communities, to ensure a speedy and quality completion of the project.

This is a great victory for Maryland, Purple Line NOW and its partners, including the Chambers of Commerce from Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, as well as the Washington Board of Trade, labor unions such as ATU Local 689, the Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance, the economic partners of the Purple Line, and our civic and individual supporters who have work so long to see the line built.

We also are eager for details regarding the additional contributions requested from the counties. Montgomery and Prince George's had already committed to hundreds of millions of in-kind and direct support. The Purple Line is vital to the future of both counties and we will work with them and the state.

Our work does not end when ground is broken and given the changes implemented by the Governor, we intend to redouble our efforts to work with the Maryland Department of Transportation to ensure the project provides a high quality transit line and trail available to the people of Maryland for decades to come.

Advocates with Purple Line NOW, a transit advocacy group established more than 20 years ago to support the building of the Purple Line, are certainly encouraged that the Governor has heard that evidence, listened to the good advice of his staff, and agreed that, in order to bring more jobs to the region, the Purple Line must be a part of the equation.

"In his well-received inauguration speech, the Governor vowed to improve economic growth for the region," said Ralph Bennett, President of Purple Line NOW, "and today, we offer our help in breaking ground on the project by the end of the year while advocating for quality and careful planning." Bennett went on to say, "all of Maryland can champion the project as a clear harbinger of economic health and prosperity."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2015

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

PURPLE LINE NOW! SENDS BEST WISHES FOR A FULL RECOVERY TO GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN

Silver Spring, MD--We are shocked and saddened by the news you revealed today. We wish you all the strength, good spirits and good luck as you go forward with what we certainly hope will be successful treatment. And, we wish your family the best as they rally to help you through this experience.

We appreciate the spirit you have brought to the office and look forward to resuming our discussions of important issues for Maryland in the future. Thank you for your candor and your courage.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2015

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Time is Money, Governor Hogan!

Silver Spring, MD--With the Governor's recent announcement supporting a $10 billion maglev train (a high-speed train that uses magnetic levitation to move vehicles without touching the ground), his nominally cost-based stalling on the far cheaper Purple Line has been thrown into stark relief. Just as the Governor personally witnessed the benefit of long-distance rail while on his recent trip to Japan, Purple Line NOW invites him to come to Montgomery and Prince George's counties to see the Purple Line's potential benefits in person. However, time is of the essence, and further delay of the line will cost our state dearly.

When Governor Hogan took office in January, he instructed his Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn to carefully evaluate the Purple Line project with an eye to reducing its cost, intimating that his decision would come in mid-May. Events intervened, including unrest in Baltimore, a long awaited meeting with county leaders, and the Governor's Asian trip. We respect that these events deserved the Governor's attention, but we now urge our governor to step up and approve the Purple Line so that the project can move forward and the cost of delays can be minimized.

Delays harm Maryland in a multitude of ways. Primarily, they delay the benefits of the line, most important of which is desperately needed relief from the worst congestion in the nation. Expected population and employment growth means that problem will only get worse over time. The Purple Line is expected to save riders over 28,000 hours daily by 2030.

Secondarily, as the nation slowly recovers from the great recession, the cost of building rises. According to Turner Construction's Building Cost Index, construction costs have been rising at nearly 1.1% per quarter for the last two years. For the Purple Line's remaining cost of under $2.3 billion, a month of delay is worth $8, 300,000! The delay because of the administration's five month study of the project may have cost $41,600,000. And, the likely cost increase for 10 months will be $84,100,000.

These increases are only those related to construction costs. It is clear that the money the private partners will borrow to invest in the project will become more expensive, too - as interest rates are expected to rise.

Purple Line NOW President Ralph Bennett points out, "The Purple Line's critics could be pictured next to the definition of chutzpah. For years they have forced delays on the project and then complain about the resultant rising costs. However, these complaints ignore the even larger price to Maryland: tens of thousands of hours wasted each day in traffic and businesses and millennials moving to Northern Virginia because they see no relief in sight."

Further delay of the project is not cautious - it is reckless. The case for the project has been made in every part of the Maryland suburbs of Washington - elected local, state and national officials, business interests, commuting workers, veterans, and the University of Maryland. Virginia has a head start, the first phase of the Silver Line is complete.

It's time for an affirmative decision and an end to cost increases by delay.

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For immediate Release
June 2, 2015

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW!, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

One Graph Explains How the Purple Line's Cost is Misunderstood

Silver Spring, MD--Would you consider 48% off to be a "dramatic" cut in costs? The Governor has cited a figure of $153 million per mile and says that the Purple Line "would have to be dramatically lower than that.” Purple Line NOW Board President Ralph Bennett has news for the Governor, "when the Governor talks about raiding the Purple Line to fund other priorities, he doesn't seem to realize that the vast majority of that money cannot be transferred. But the good news for him is that the remaining cost to Maryland is about half of what he says."

Purple Line NOW Vice President Greg Sanders lays out the numbers by explaining, "How do we get to nearly half? Take the Governor's number and lop off the 40% that is reimbursed by a federal New Starts grant and the private sector contribution. Another 8% can be dropped because that's already been spent on design, engineering, and right of way. In the graph below, every square represents $10 million of spending. In the rightmost column, which has no future cost to Marylanders, there are just under 117 boxes representing $1.17 billion in investment and $0 in net liabilities."

PLN GREATERGREATERWASHINGTON.ORG

Sanders goes on to say, "it's only that left column, under 23% of the funding, that is available for other state and county projects. Between the county funding and Transportation Secretary Rahn's proposed cuts, the entire remaining upfront cost is likely to be between 10 and 20 percent of the figure the Governor cites."

Mr. Bennett concluded, "Maryland's economic engine is choking on congestion. The Purple Line is the top transportation priority of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties and has broad and deep business community support. The significant federal and concessionaire support shows how the Governor can build it without raising taxes one dime."

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Purple Line NOW, a non-profit organization formed in 2002, advocates for the Purple Line on behalf of citizen, business, environmental, civic, minority and labor organizations. Purple Line NOW's mission is to expand the mobility choices for the residents of the Washington Metropolitan area. The organization has been instrumental moving the project forward by engaging elected officials and defending the project against detractors. More than 100 organizations have gone on record in support of the Purple Line through Purple Line NOW! More information including an in-depth explanation about the above graph can be found at the Purple Line NOW! website: www.purplelinenow.com.

For immediate Release
May 19, 2015

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW!, 301-602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

Governor Hogan's Indecision on the Purple Line Will Cost Marylanders Millions

Silver Spring, MD--Governor Hogan's mixed messages on the Purple Line undercut his desire to lead a state "that's open for business" as he pronounced in his inauguration speech in November. Last month, his administration challenged the four concessionaires to find cost cuts in the line. They came back with $200 to $300 million in reductions, but instead of acknowledging that good work, the Governor is pretending that $900 million in federal transportation grants could somehow be redirected towards school construction.

Even more disturbing is his confused decision timeline. Last week, the Governor told Senate President Miller that he would make his decision by May 28th, but over the weekend, he quietly announced that he was indefinitely delaying the bidding process. Purple Line NOW President Ralph Bennett finds this unacceptable, "Governor Hogan's indefinite delay in making a decision about the Purple Line, after five months of study, is either muddled governing or deliberate delay to dodge responsibility for killing the project. Neither should be acceptable to Marylanders who expect more of their elected officials."

That is not just our view. Governor Hogan appointee Rahn explained in a radio broadcast in March why indefinite delay is such a problem, "[T]he biggest issue in my mind is how long these [concessionaire] teams are going to continue to work with us, and they've invested millions of dollars in their proposal and we can't drag this out forever."

The Governor has agreed to meet with the County Executives of Montgomery and Prince George's County this week. Miti Figueredo, Vice President of The Chevy Chase Land Company and a Purple Line NOW Board Member, helped organize a pro-Purple Line business coalition known as the Economic Partners of the Purple Line earlier this year. She is hopeful this 11th hour meeting will allow the Governor to better understand that "the Purple Line is good for the economy and delaying the project further will only undermine business confidence in Maryland.”

Despite having delayed the process for five months, Governor Hogan still has not toured the right of way nor spoken to local Chambers of Commerce on the matter. Figueredo added "We appreciate that the Governor is meeting with County Executives Baker and Leggett and hope he will listen to them, as well as to the many business leaders who have advocated loudly and repeatedly for the project."

If the Governor is unwilling to provide solution to a region that has some of the worst congestion in the nation, Maryland has competitors for new businesses and residents. Purple Line Now Vice President Greg Sanders noted that "Virginia has shown that they can come together in a bipartisan manner to build the Silver Line which is already revolutionizing Tyson's Corner. The Purple Line is ready to be built for far less cost to Marylanders than the Governor's advisors have led him to believe."

The Purple Line will eventually be built because there is no alternative for east-west congestion relief in Maryland's DC suburb. Sanders added "the question is whether the Governor Hogan can own the greatest capital project this region will see in several generations, or whether he leaves that task to his successor while the state we all love falls behind."

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Purple Line NOW, a non-profit organization formed in 2002, advocates for the Purple Line on behalf of citizen, business, environmental, civic, minority and labor organizations. Purple Line NOW's mission is to expand the mobility choices for the residents of the Washington Metropolitan area. The organization has been instrumental moving the project forward by engaging elected officials and defending the project against detractors. More than 100 organizations have gone on record in support of the Purple Line through Purple Line NOW! More information about Purple Line NOW! can be found at www.purplelinenow.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2015

CONTACT
Ralph Bennett, President, Purple Line NOW! (301) 602-6185
Christine Scott, Executive Director, [email protected], 301-500-0756

An Open Letter to Governor Larry Hogan

Dear Governor Hogan,

We write because we have been unable to meet with you to discuss your upcoming May decision on the Purple Line in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. It is our intense hope that you will recognize the merits of the project as expressed to you by so many during the past few months.

We know that you are committed to "create a Maryland that is thriving, growing, innovating and is responsive to the needs of all its citizens" and hope you understand that for Maryland's Washington suburbs, there is no realistic alternative to the Purple Line for achieving that vision.

The project represents the hard work of many people over more than twenty years - visionaries who foresaw the need for an inter-county overlay on the region's existing transit network of Metrorail, buses and MARC lines. We need to invigorate this substantial transit investment with mobility alternatives for east-west connectivity beyond the roads that are now some of the most congested in the nation.

You have heard from the legislative delegations of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties and from their County Executives and Councils, all of whom have repeatedly expressed their commitment to the project and the economic benefits it will bring. You have also heard from nine members of Maryland's Congressional delegation, noting among other benefits, the creation of "...6300 regional jobs during the construction period."

You have heard from the business community and the Chambers of Commerce for the localities and the region, noting the critical role the Purple Line will play in forming a healthy economic climate for jobs and development. They wrote as The Economic Partners of the Purple Line, over 30 strong, noting that "...halting this project at the eleventh hour would further undermine business confidence in Maryland - and we know this is exactly the opposite of your intention." And you have heard from Norman Augustine, the Chair of the Maryland Economic Development and Business Climate Commission, who said that, in dealing with the region's traffic congestion, "The Purple Line would be a significant step forward in relieving that impediment to business, particularly with regard to recruiting."

Finally, you have heard from the American Conservative Center for Public Transportation saying that "...we must emphasize that the ability of light rail to generate quality development well in excess of total project costs has been documented in projects across the country." Likewise, you have heard from the Association of Road and Transportation Builders that completing the Purple Line's Public-Private Partnership will provide confidence for future such projects in Maryland.

We accept your inaugural invitation: "Let us sit down together and come up with bipartisan, common sense solutions to the serious problems that face us." For the prosperity and progress of Maryland and the Washington region, we urge you to consult carefully with your Secretary of Transportation and his expert staff. We are confident that you will understand the consistency of the project with your stated goals for Maryland. We ask that you commit your energy and strong support to the prompt completion of the Purple Line.

Sincerely yours,

Ralph Bennett
Board President, Purple Line NOW
Silver Spring, MD

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Purple Line NOW, a non-profit organization formed in 2002, advocates for the Purple Line on behalf of citizen, business, environmental, civic, minority and labor organizations. Purple Line NOW's mission is to expand the mobility choices for the residents of the Washington Metropolitan area. The organization has been instrumental moving the project forward by engaging elected officials and defending the project against detractors. More information about Purple Line NOW! can be found at www.purplelinenow.com.

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