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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Deadline Approaching!
  • Are You a Purple Line NOW Donor?
• Purple Line in the News
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Community Advisory Team Meeting Schedule
• Construction News & Project Features
  
  • Highlights from the CATS
  • 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?

We Want to Hear from YOU!

We have just TWO issues left before our 100th issue of Purple Line NOW News! Thank you to those who have sent blurbs of memories from the early days (specifically, the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s!) We need more! Pictures are particularly fun -- and if someone is rocking those muttonchop sideburns while advocating for what was (eventually) to become the Purple Line, all the better!

*** All Submissions Must Reach Us By JUNE 30!***

If you didn't catch it in our previous newsletters, we are planning a commemorative issue and want to take a stroll down memory lane -- back to the beginning of the project, when the idea of a Purple Line was just a hope and a dream. If you were around these parts back then and have photos, an anecdote or two, or even a memory of the work that went into imagining an east-west light rail train, finding support from elected officials, applying for federal funding, or any other hurdle (or achievement), PLEASE send them our way!

Here are four questions we would LOVE for you to answer -- cut and paste into an email or just send a free-form blurb -- whatever works for you. We will include as many as we can in the issue, but time is running out. Send to Christine Scott, Executive Director at [email protected]. Thank you! 

1) What are you most looking forward to when the Purple Line opens (besides the end of construction!)?

2) If you were around during the early years, do you have a specific memory of advocating for the project or a hurdle that the project overcame?

3) What positive changes do you expect to see in our communities once the Purple Line opens?

4) Once the Purple Line opens for passengers, which station(s) do you anticipate using most?

Are You A Purple Line NOW Donor?

Each month, we rotate onto our Donors List those who have made a financial contribution to Purple Line NOW in the previous month. If that includes you, your name will stay on that list for a full year following your contribution. Thank you, thank you!

**If you do not see your name on our Donors List, we hope you will consider helping us continue our work!** 

We use every donation we receive to continue our newsletter, continue offering regular webinars, continue being a strong liaison to help connect you to people who can solve your issues, and continue our strong advocacy for the project in every way possible. If you would like to know more about who we are, why we are asking for donations, and what we do with your gift once it arrives on our doorstep, you can read all about it in our November newsletter.

Thank you so much for your consideration! Unless you tell us otherwise, your name will be listed on our website and in publications for a year following your donation.

THE PURPLE LINE IN THE NEWS

Wilson, B. "Maryland’s Purple Line project is getting ready to make more noise." Railway Track and Structures, 1 Jun 2022.

Shaver, K. “Unions protest lack of labor agreement on Purple Line construction.” Washington Post, 25 May 2022.

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Upcoming Community Advisory Team Meetings

Below are the dates for the remaining Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings. Please note: these meetings will be in-person at the locations noted below.

• College Park
  June 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Purple Line Project Office
  6811 Kenilworth Avenue (1st floor)
  Riverdale, MD 20737
• Silver Spring
  June 21, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
  Silver Spring International Middle School
  313 Wayne Avenue
  Silver Spring, MD 20910
• University Boulevard
  June 23, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Purple Line Project Office
  6811 Kenilworth Avenue (1st floor)
  Riverdale, MD 20737
• Long Branch
  June 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Oak View Elementary School
  400 East Wayne Avenue
  Silver Spring, MD 20901

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Highlights from the First Two Community Advisory Team Meetings

Now that the Community Advisory Teams (CATs) are in full swing, we bring you highlights from the first two CATs with a promise to cover the rest of them in coming newsletters. As always, we encourage you to scan through the entire presentation, as well, especially if you live in or near one of the communities along the corridor. Additionally, once answers to questions that were raised during the CAT meetings are posted, we will let you know.

The first two CATs of this summer season were held last week in Bethesda/Chevy Chase on June 7 and in Riverdale/New Carrollton on June 9.

Bethesda/Chevy Chase CAT

Presenting this CAT: Anita Rodgers, Deputy Project Director, Contracting Officer; David Abrams, Director of Communications; James Mitchell, Program Manager; Scott Glass, Area 1 Manager; and Carla Julian, Stakeholder Manager.

CAT members also had a chance to meet representatives from the new builder team, Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS). Members from our organization were able to attend both meetings, as well.

You’ll remember at the end of last year, the Board of Public Works approved the new builder as the project’s design build contractor. With financial close occurring earlier this year, we are pleased to know MTS has begun due diligence inspections of structures and site conditions along the alignment.

The Purple Line team gave an overview of what MDOT MTA has been able to advance over the past 18 months while we awaited the selection and announcement of the new builder:

• 77% of underground utility relocations
• 17 walls
• Eastern Portal of the Plymouth Tunnel and Kenwood House parking lot above the Western Portal
• Startup and commissioning of the Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility

For those of you wondering where the new light rail vehicles are in production, they also provided an update on their status:

• Assembly of 22 out of 26 light rail vehicles with 16 of those ready to ship
• Delivery to begin Fall 2023 to the Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility
• 80 seats available, 400 standing room capacity
• Low floor with wide doorways
• Flexible space and folding seats to allow for eight wheelchairs and bicycle storage

If you are like us, you already have Fall 2026 marked in ink on your calendar for when passenger service is scheduled to begin!

Looking six months ahead, the team expects to complete the Sleaford Underpass by the end of the summer, as well as completing the trail connection from East-West Highway to Kentbury Drive. The construction of stairs to the future Capital Crescent Trail will begin, lighting in the underpass will be installed, and the final landscaping around the stormwater management facility will also occur.

Bethesda Shaft

We often bring you photos of that deep Bethesda Shaft and the team gave an update specific to that portion of the project:

• Continue pre-construction investigation activities
• Mobilize office trailers and equipment to the site
• Begin site preparation for new crane and support
• Construction of enclosed temporary structure over the shaft
• Resume excavation and blasting operations (fall 2022)

Important to note, there will be public notification given prior to blasting operations.

Georgetown Branch Trail

• Resume construction of retaining walls
• Resume stormwater drainage installation
• Begin Lynn Drive culvert construction

Connecticut Avenue

• Begin construction of deck for Purple Line bridge over Connecticut Avenue
• Begin construction of pedestrian bridge for future Capital Crescent Trail

Chevy Chase Lake Drive

• Begin utility relocations
• Begin construction of stormwater management drainage and facilities
• Begin construction of noise walls from Connecticut Avenue to Jones Mill Road

Coquelin Run

• Begin construction of the culvert under the Purple Line alignment
• Begin construction of the pedestrian underpass

Jones Mill Road

• Complete remaining utility relocations
• Begin construction of the noise walls along the former Georgetown Branch Trail from Connecticut Avenue
• Resume construction of the Jones Mill underpass beginning with retaining walls

Please note: The current Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) pattern will remain in place through completion of Phase I.

Riverdale/New Carrollton CAT

Presenting this CAT meeting: David Abrams, Director of Communications; James Mitchell, Program Manager; Jeanine Ferris, Area 3 Manager; Dwain Sanders, Operations Manager; and Carla Julian, Stakeholder Manager.

Stations in this segment:

• Riverdale Park-Kenilworth
• Beacon Heights-East Pines
• Glenridge
• New Carrollton Metro

As with the previous CAT meeting, the presenting team reviewed some of the work that has been completed over the past six months including alignment-wide maintenance and upkeep, pothole/roadway resurfacing on Ellin Road and River Road, erosion and sediment control and mowing/site cleanup.

Specific to the areas along this part of the alignment, crews have continued relocating underground and overhead utilities along Kenilworth Avenue and Riverdale Road.

At the Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF), as you have seen in the many photos we have published over the past year or so, crews have continued the site grading and drainage, continued work on the parking lot, sidewalk, and curb, and completed connections to power, water, gas, and sewer to the building. Along Veterans Parkway, they have continued the WSSC waterline relocation.

Looking ahead to the next six months, by area:

Kenilworth Avenue to Riverdale Road

• Completion of underground utility relocations – water and sewer Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) work continues
• Site grading and drainage
• Parking lot, sidewalk, curb, and gutter work
• Testing of the train wash and paint booth

Veterans Parkway

• Completion of the WSSC waterline relocation by late fall 2022
• Continue utility relocations
• Begin storm drain installation
• Begin traffic signal work

Riverdale Park-Kenilworth Station

• Begin aerial station deck work

Baltimore-Washington Parkway

• Resume construction of retaining walls and embankments
• Begin storm drain installation

Riverdale Road

• Continue utility relocations
• Begin storm drain installation
• Reconstruct sidewalk, curb, and gutters

Veterans Parkway

• Begin stormwater management facility construction
• Begin installation of the Traction Power Substation

Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF)

• Complete storm drain systems
• Install light rail vehicle tracks
• Begin installation of the Traction Power Substation

Ellin Road

• Resume storm drain installation

New Carrollton Station

• Begin Phase 1 of parking lot reconstruction with installation of lighting
• Continue utility relocations
• Begin installation of the Traction Power Substation

We look forward to bringing you highlights from the coming CATs and answers to questions that were raised during each meeting, respectively.

Photos from Around the Corridor

Thank you to MDOT MTA for the following photos! Do you have a snap from around the corridor you'd like to share? Send them along to [email protected]. Photos must be your original. 

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?
  • We Want to Hear from YOU!
  • Are You a Purple Line NOW Donor?
• Purple Line in the News
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Community Advisory Team Meeting Schedule Set
• Construction News & Project Features
  
  • Open House to Meet New Builder
  • 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?

We Want to Hear from YOU!

We have just three issues left before our 100th issue of Purple Line NOW News! Thank you to those who have sent blurbs of memories from the early days (specifically, the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s!) We need more! Pictures are particularly fun -- and if someone is rocking those muttonchop sideburns while advocating for what was (eventually) to become the Purple Line, all the better!

If you didn't catch it in our previous newsletters, we are planning a commemorative issue and want to take a stroll down memory lane -- back to the beginning of the project, when the idea of a Purple Line was just a hope and a dream. If you were around these parts back then and have photos, an anecdote or two, or even a memory of the work that went into imagining an east-west light rail train, finding support from elected officials, applying for federal funding, or any other hurdle (or achievement), PLEASE send them our way!

Here are four questions we would LOVE for you to answer -- cut and paste into an email or just send a free-form blurb -- whatever works for you. We will include as many as we can in the issue, but time is running out. Send to Christine Scott, Executive Director at [email protected]. Thank you! 

1) What are you most looking forward to when the Purple Line opens (besides the end of construction!)?

2) If you were around during the early years, do you have a specific memory of advocating for the project or a hurdle that the project overcame?

3) What positive changes do you expect to see in our communities once the Purple Line opens?

4) Once the Purple Line opens for passengers, which station(s) do you anticipate using most?

Are You A Purple Line NOW Donor?

Each month, we rotate onto our Donors List those who have made a financial contribution to Purple Line NOW in the previous month. If that includes you, your name will stay on that list for a full year following your contribution. Thank you, thank you!

**If you do not see your name on our Donors List, we hope you will consider helping us continue our work!** 

We use every donation we receive to continue our newsletter, continue offering regular webinars, continue being a strong liaison to help connect you to people who can solve your issues, and continue our strong advocacy for the project in every way possible. If you would like to know more about who we are, why we are asking for donations, and what we do with your gift once it arrives on our doorstep, you can read all about it in our November newsletter.

Thank you so much for your consideration! Unless you tell us otherwise, your name will be listed on our website and in publications for a year following your donation.

THE PURPLE LINE IN THE NEWS

Shaver, K. “Unions protest lack of labor agreement on Purple Line construction.” Washington Post, 25 May 2022.

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Community Advisory Team Meetings to Resume in June

Dates for the Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings have been set. Please note: these meetings will be in-person at the locations noted below.

• Bethesda/Chevy Chase
  June 7, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
  North Chevy Chase Elementary School
  3700 Jones Bridge Road
  Chevy Chase, MD 20815
• Riverdale Park-Glenridge/New Carrollton
  June 9, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Purple Line Project Office
  6811 Kenilworth Avenue (1st floor)
  Riverdale, MD 20737
• Greater Lyttonsville/Woodside
  June 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
  Rosemary Hills Elementary School
  2111 Porter Road
  Silver Spring, MD 20910
• College Park
  June 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Purple Line Project Office
  6811 Kenilworth Avenue (1st floor)
  Riverdale, MD 20737
• Silver Spring
  June 21, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
  Silver Spring International Middle School
  313 Wayne Avenue
  Silver Spring, MD 20910
• University Boulevard
  June 23, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Purple Line Project Office
  6811 Kenilworth Avenue (1st floor)
  Riverdale, MD 20737
• Long Branch
  June 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
  Oak View Elementary School
  400 East Wayne Avenue
  Silver Spring, MD 20901

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Open House to Meet New Builder

As you probably know, the new builder for the Purple Line, Maryland Transit Solutions, was introduced to the public last week at two open houses, one held in Prince George's county and one held in Montgomery county. Greg Sanders, PLN’s Vice President, attended both and provides us with the following update:

The open houses were an opportunity to see both familiar faces from MTA and the Concessionaire and also to meet the project manager and construction manager for the new builder, respectively Terry Gohde and Julio Velez. The open houses had a range of great new graphics including depictions of how roughly half the stations will look in their final form, as well as updated projects maps that provided additional detail on station layouts. These should be available online soon.

Much of the value of these sessions is the ability to ask specific questions regarding concerns about construction near your neighborhood or business, as well as questions about the future commute. If you missed the open houses, the upcoming Community Advisory Team meetings are another great opportunity to ask these questions (see dates for the CATs above.) One thing I learned about the process was that one reason the testing process takes so long is that each light rail vehicle must be individually tested to make sure it will smoothly clear the station platforms, and the trolley atop the vehicle will stably connect with the overhead wires. The first run through goes at a slow pace, not under its own power, and testers will ride atop the vehicle to get an up close view of how the trams are connecting to their power source. According to the opening remarks, we should expect the testing to be finished in October 2026 for the beginning of revenue service.

While we are glad to have the builder finally on board and gearing up to be fully operational in August, it is also important to note that there were about 50 protesters from the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) outside the open house held in Silver Spring. Union workers want a "Project Labor Agreement" (PLA), noting that Maryland’s former Secretary of Transportation Greg Slater gave assurances that the new builder contract would contain that agreement.

According to the Washington Post, Purple Line Transit Partners CEO Doran Bosso emphasized that they “are committed to paying fair and competitive wages” and is agreeable to meeting with the union to figure out a way to work together to deliver the project in an “on-time and on-budget manner.” Council members for both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties are involved and pressing for a resolution that benefits workers in our respective communities. You can read more here.

Photos from Around the Corridor

Thank you to MDOT MTA for the following photos! Do you have a snap from around the corridor you'd like to share? Send them along to [email protected]. Photos must be your original. 

 

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?
  • Input Needed for our 100th Issue of Purple Line NOW News!
  • Are You a Purple Line NOW Donor?
• Purple Line in the News
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Growth Along the Corridor
  • Support for Housing at Chevy Chase Library Site
  • Biden Administration Announces Transit-Oriented Priority
  • New Placemaking Minor Prepares Students to Envision Public Spaces
• Construction News & Project Features
  
  • Open Houses Scheduled to Meet New Builder
  • Community Advisory Team Meetings
  • 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?

Input Needed for our 100th Issue of Purple Line NOW!

We have just four issues left before our 100th issue of Purple Line NOW News! Thank you to those who have sent blurbs of memories from the early days (specifically, the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s!) We need more! Pictures are particularly fun -- and if someone is rocking those muttonchop sideburns while advocating for what was (eventually) to become the Purple Line, all the better!

If you didn't catch it in our previous newsletters, we are planning a commemorative issue and want to take a stroll down memory lane -- back to the beginning of the project, when the idea of a Purple Line was just a hope and a dream. If you were around these parts back then and have photos, an anecdote or two, or even a memory of the work that went into imagining an east-west light rail train, finding support from elected officials, applying for federal funding, or any other hurdle (or achievement), PLEASE send them our way!

We will include as many as we can in the issue, but time is running out. Send to Christine Scott, Executive Director at [email protected]. Thank you! 

Are You A Purple Line NOW Donor?

Each month, we rotate onto our Donors List those who have made a financial contribution to Purple Line NOW in the previous month. If that includes you, your name will stay on that list for a full year following your contribution. Thank you, thank you!

**If you do not see your name on our Donors List, we hope you will consider helping us continue our work!** 

We use every donation we receive to continue our newsletter, continue offering regular webinars, continue being a strong liaison to help connect you to people who can solve your issues, and continue our strong advocacy for the project in every way possible. If you would like to know more about who we are, why we are asking for donations, and what we do with your gift once it arrives on our doorstep, you can read all about it in our November newsletter.

Thank you so much for your consideration! Unless you tell us otherwise, your name will be listed on our website and in publications for a year following your donation.

THE PURPLE LINE IN THE NEWS

Bohnel, S., “County Council says it supports housing at Chevy Chase Library site.” Bethesda Magazine, 12 May 2022.

Haslam, M., "New Creative Placemaking Minor to Prepare Students to Envision Public Spaces." Maryland Today, 2 May 2022.

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Growth Along the Corridor

As we have seen since the Purple Line was given the green light back in 2015, there has been lots of new growth adjacent to the coming light rail. According to the Diamondback (May 8, 2022), one such development is set to open later this summer in College Park. The Aster is a 393-unit apartment complex which will include a Trader Joe’s grocery store, restaurants, and other retailers. The complex is located just south of campus and will appeal to the wider College Park community. Read more here: Aster: New multi-use development set to open in College Park

If you attended Purple Line NOW's virtual forum back in August 2020, you may remember John L. Ziegenhein, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Chevy Chase Land Company and Justin Kennell, Development Manager, Bozzuto Development Company gave a brief overview of their new property development alongside the Purple Line station in Chevy Chase. They recently announced some of the new retailers that will be located within their plaza by late 2023, including The Creamery (the beloved Baltimore ice cream shop), restaurants Elena James, UnCorked, and Playa Bowls, as well as CVS, an as-yet-to-be-named grocer, and others. Read more here: https://www.chevychaselake.com/community/

Support for Housing at Chevy Chase Library Site

The Montgomery County Council has voted unanimously for an amendment calling for housing at the redesigned Chevy Chase Library, which happens to be very close to the new Purple Line station. According to an article in Bethesda Magazine, while the bill doesn’t guarantee housing at the site, it does “allow for the possibility of redevelopment of the Chevy Chase library, including housing on the site.” How many units might be included or under what price points the housing will fall has yet to be determined. (Bohnel, S., “County Council says it supports housing at Chevy Chase Library site.” Bethesda Magazine, 12 May 2022.)

Biden Administration Announces Transit-Oriented Development Priority

The Biden administration has announced that it is prioritizing transit-oriented development in the infrastructure bill passed on a bipartisan basis last year.

It appears that the U.S. Department of Transportation is prioritizing density and transit-oriented-development as it disburses discretionary funds from the bipartisan infrastructure package. You can read more about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) at the link.

New Placemaking Minor Prepares Students to Envision Public Spaces

According to an article in Maryland Today, the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and the College of Arts and Humanities have created a minor in creative placemaking that "will use art, culture and design to spark conversations about a community's future.” As part of the curriculum, students will work in local communities, “including those that stand to be impacted by the the construction of Maryland's Purple Line to advance community goals, protect and celebrate identity and spur equitable economic development." (Haslam, M., "New Creative Placemaking Minor to Prepare Students to Envision Public Spaces." Maryland Today, 2 May 2022.)

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Open Houses Scheduled to Meet New Builder

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be holding two in-person open houses to introduce the public to Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS), the new design-build team. According to their press release, MDOT MTA Administrator Holly Arnold said, "The team is looking forward to introducing our new design-build team to the community. We want to proactively engage with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders to let them know in advance what construction work they can expect to see as we begin a new chapter of delivering the Purple Line for Maryland.”

The open houses will take place at two venues in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties:

• May 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring MD 20910
• May 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m., University of Maryland Stamp Student Union, Atrium, 3972 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20742

We are looking forward to meeting the new partner and learning about the construction schedule going forward.

Community Advisory Team Meetings to Resume in June

We are thrilled the Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings will resume in June and will publish those dates as soon as they are set.

Photos from Around the Corridor

Thank you to MDOT MTA for the following photos! Do you have a snap from around the corridor you'd like to share? Send them along to [email protected]. Photos must be your original. 

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?
  • Input Needed for our 100th Issue of Purple Line NOW News!
  • Are You a Purple Line NOW Donor?
• Purple Line in the News
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • PLN VP Gives Project Update to ACT
  • The Purple Line Makes Google Maps!
• Construction News & Project Features
  • Purple Line Contract Finalized!
  • Open Houses Scheduled to Meet New Builder
  • Update on Community Advisory Team Meetings Schedule

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?

Input Needed for our 100th Issue of Purple Line NOW!

We have just five issues left before our 100th issue of Purple Line NOW News! Thank you to those who have sent blurbs of memories from the early days (specifically, the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s!) We need more! Pictures are particularly fun -- and if someone is rocking those muttonchop sideburns while advocating for what was (eventually) to become the Purple Line, all the better!

If you didn't catch it in our last newsletter, we are planning a commemorative issue and want to take a stroll down memory lane -- back to the beginning of the project, when the idea of a Purple Line was just a hope and a dream. If you were around these parts back then and have photos, an anecdote or two, or even a memory of the work that went into imagining an east-west light rail train, finding support from elected officials, applying for federal funding, or any other hurdle (or achievement), PLEASE send them our way!

We will include as many as we can in the issue. Send to Christine Scott, Executive Director at [email protected]. Thank you! 

Are You A Purple Line NOW Donor?

Each month, we rotate onto our Donors List those who have made a financial contribution to Purple Line NOW in the previous month. If that includes you, your name will stay on that list for a full year following your contribution. Thank you, thank you!

**If you do not see your name on our Donors List, we hope you will consider helping us continue our work!** 

We use every donation we receive to continue our newsletter, continue offering regular webinars, continue being a strong liaison to help connect you to people who can solve your issues, and continue our strong advocacy for the project in every way possible. If you would like to know more about who we are, why we are asking for donations, and what we do with your gift once it arrives on our doorstep, you can read all about it in our November newsletter.

Thank you so much for your consideration! Unless you tell us otherwise, your name will be listed on our website and in publications for a year following your donation.

THE PURPLE LINE IN THE NEWS

Parsons, J., "Maryland's Purple Line Readies for Restart." Engineering News-Record, 22 April 2022.

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

PLN Vice President Gives Update on Project

On April 12, before the news regarding the financial close was announced, Purple Line NOW's Vice President Greg Sanders gave a project update to Action Committee for Transit. The update included an overview of the schedule until opening day, a little bit about the new builder, and some of the modified provisions provided in the new contract. One important takeaway came from Maryland State Delegate Jared Solomon (D-18) who said that he and his colleagues continue to advocate for opening the Capital Crescent Trail when the project enters an extensive testing phase, before the rail opens to the public, but after construction has been completed. We will keep you posted when we learn of any news on that front.

The Purple Line Makes Google Maps

Even though it isn't "official" news, we noticed that the Purple Line stations are now designated on Google Maps! That is welcome news, especially for those who are new to the area (or even some long term residents) who are still unsure where those stops will be. Progress!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Purple Line Contract Finalized

In case you missed the news, not quite two weeks ago, the concessionaire, Purple Line Transit Partners, had reached financial close with the new builder, Maryland Transit Solutions.

What does that mean, you might ask?

Financial close means that all of the necessary loans are in place. In addition to the direct support from Maryland and the federal matching loan, the public-private partnership includes public financing through a Transportation Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act and private financing, both held by the concessionaire.

Just like it is important to close a mortgage before moving in and starting renovations on a house, this financial close was necessary before major construction activity by the new builder could begin. It is the final step in the process of onboarding the new builder which will now allow them to begin ramping up construction in a big way along the corridor later this spring.

We are thrilled the parties have reached this milestone and wanted to share the good news with you, too! More details about the impending schedule, construction updates, and news from the state and concessionaire to come. Purple Line NOW congratulates all parties involved and thankful the project is moving forward!

You can read more here: MDOT MTA Press Release

Open Houses Scheduled to Meet New Builder

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be holding two in-person open houses to introduce the public to Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS), the new design-build team. According to their press release, MDOT MTA Administrator Holly Arnold said, "The team is looking forward to introducing our new design-build team to the community. We want to proactively engage with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders to let them know in advance what construction work they can expect to see as we begin a new chapter of delivering the Purple Line for Maryland.”

The open houses will take place at two venues in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties:
• May 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Silver Spring Civic Building, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring MD 20910
• May 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m., University of Maryland Stamp Student Union, Atrium, 3972 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20742

We are looking forward to meeting the new partner and learning about the construction schedule going forward.

Community Advisory Team Meetings to Resume in June

We are thrilled the Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings will resume in June and will publish those dates as soon as they are set.

Photos from Around the Corridor

Thank you to MDOT MTA for the following photos! Do you have a snap from around the corridor you'd like to share? Send them along to [email protected]. Photos must be your original. 

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