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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Some Sad News
  • Can You Consider a Donation to Purple Line NOW?
• Purple Line in the News
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  
  • Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy
• Construction News & Project Features
  
  • Who Are All These Groups and What Do They Do?
  • Call for Progress Photos!

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?

Some Sad News

We here at Purple Line NOW, all of our board and team, were saddened to learn of the passing of two of our long time supporters and friends, Linda Anderson and Neil Greene. Our thoughts are with Linda's spouse Dave, and the rest of her family. We also keep the family and children of Neil Greene in our thoughts and send them our deepest sympathy. Both of these kind and generous souls hold a special place in our collective memory here and they will be missed.

Would You Consider a Donation to Purple Line NOW?

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! Our budget is skinny and we do a whole lot with a little!

**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

Iannelli, N. "Study on Maryland’s Purple Line looks to limit gentrification." WTOP, 29 September 2022.

Shaver, K. "As Purple Line construction resumes, the fight against gentrification is on." Washington Post, 30 September 2022.

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Report: The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy

The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy is the product of a two-year planning process funded by a transit-oriented development planning grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The report includes strategies for affordable housing, small business preservation, safe pedestrian/bicycle access to stations, and inclusive economic growth. 

On September 28th, 2022 the final report was released at a public event at the Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library in downtown Silver Spring. To view the report, click here. Additionally, a Q & A with PLCC's Gerrit Knaap and Washington Post reporter Katie Shaver can be found here.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Who Are All These Groups and What Do They Do?

Every year, as new folks move into our communities or those here become more aware of the coming Purple Line light rail, we get questions about who all these groups are -- many with the word "purple" in their title -- and what they do. So, if you are confused by all the acronyms surrounding the Purple Line, here's a quick primer! 

1) PLN (Purple Line NOW)

Since you are already receiving our newsletter, you probably know all about us, but just as a refresher, PLN was incorporated in 2002, though many on our team have worked on behalf of the Purple Line for a decade or two before that!

We are a coalition of business, labor, environment, neighborhood, and civic organizations that work with local, state, and federal government officials in pursuit of our mission to build the Purple Line. Our mission is to ensure the completion of the Purple Line from Bethesda to New Carrollton, integrated with a hiker/biker trail between Bethesda & Silver Spring. We have one quarter-time executive director, but operate mostly on the elbow grease of a large and dedicated team of volunteers. We are governed by a Board of Directors with balanced representation from each county along the corridor.

2) CATs (Community Advisory Teams)

MTA has divided the 16-mile Purple Line corridor into eight areas, each represented by a Community Advisory Team (CAT). The MDOT MTA has committed to maintaining open dialogue with the communities surrounding the Purple Line via CATs with the objective of building a long-term relationship through completion of the project. The CATs are member-driven teams with representatives appointed from neighborhood and civic associations adjacent to the alignment. There are also representatives from business associations and local governments. Purple Line NOW Board and Team members sit on many of these CATs and bring information back to our organization regarding issues and hurdles a particular community might be experiencing. In the past two years, MDOT MTA has scheduled these meetings in the spring and fall, and in light of the pandemic, over the past year, has hosted them online. Materials, questions, and answers, from each meeting are usually available online and Purple Line NOW News tries to publish the highlights from each meeting in its biweekly newsletter.

3) MDOT MTA & the Purple Line Team

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is the lead agency, the Purple Line’s owner, and they work in close coordination with other transportation entities, governments, and parks and planning commissions. For the Purple Line, MTA works closely with Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Montgomery and Prince George's counties, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the Maryland State Highway Administration, and local municipalities in the project area. If you have concerns or questions, you can email them directly at [email protected].

4) P3 (Public-Private Partnership)

In this case, a P3 is essentially a partnership between MTA and PLTP to build and operate the Purple Line. The main benefit to using a P3 model is the private capital and alignment of concessionaire incentives with reduced costs and better performance while giving more flexibility to efficiently build and operate the line.

5) PLCC (Purple Line Corridor Coalition)

The Purple Line Corridor Coalition (PLCC), formed in 2013, is a multi-sector collaborative led and administered by the University of Maryland’s National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) in partnership with a coalition of community organizations, state and local governments, nonprofits, philanthropies, and businesses. Purple Line NOW is a separate entity (we receive no funding from PLCC), but we work closely with them, along with many other organizations, to achieve the goals set out in the Agreement. A few years ago, Maryland received a $2 million federal grant to help work on some of the goals of the Agreement, especially in the area of economic development, accessibility to the Purple Line stations, and keeping housing affordable along the Purple Line Corridor. NCSG administers the grant.

6) PLTP (Purple Line Transit Partners)

PLTP is a public-private partnership (P3) who will build, operate and maintain the Purple Line. The team will operate and maintain the Purple Line for 30 years after opening. The entity is responsible for designing, building, operating, and maintaining the Purple Line under the supervision of the owner, the state of Maryland. The term "concessionaire" is used because it is a public-private partnership between Maryland and a consortium of companies rather than a single lead vendor. PLTP hired Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS), which is the entity is responsible for building the project.

Have any questions about who handles what aspect of the design, construction, or maintenance of the line - or anything else Purple Line-related, for that matter? Just drop us an email ([email protected]) and we'll find an answer for you!

Call for Progress Pics!

With construction ramping up in a big way, we would LOVE to see your photos of construction happening in your neighborhood. Snap a few and send them to us -- we would love to publish them with your permission! Send to [email protected]. Thanks in advance!

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?
  • Can You Consider a Donation to Purple Line NOW?
• Purple Line in the News
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  • Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy
• Construction News & Project Features
  
  • Purple Line NOW Forum Recap

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?

Would You Consider a Donation to Purple Line NOW?

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! Our budget is skinny and we do a whole lot with a little!

**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

Iannelli, N. "Study on Maryland’s Purple Line looks to limit gentrification." WTOP, 29 September 2022.

Shaver, K. "As Purple Line construction resumes, the fight against gentrification is on." Washington Post, 30 September 2022.

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Report: The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy

The Purple Line Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Strategy is the product of a two-year planning process funded by a transit-oriented development planning grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The report includes strategies for affordable housing, small business preservation, safe pedestrian/bicycle access to stations, and inclusive economic growth. 

On September 28th, 2022 the final report was released at a public event at the Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library in downtown Silver Spring. To view the report, click here.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Purple Line NOW Forum Recap: September 22, 2022

Thank you for attending the Purple Line NOW forum on October 5, 2022. Many apologies for the technical difficulties and audio noise many of you experienced during the presentation. While we appreciate the benefit of reaching a wider audience via these virtual events, technical problems are always a fear! Our luck ran a little slow that evening, so instead of posting the video as we have done in the aftermath of previous events, MDOT MTA has provided the deck they presented during the forum (below). We have transcribed answers that were given during the forum to many of the questions sent in advance of the forum. 

Even with the technical difficulties, there were about 108 attendees present, and attendees represented every station along the alignment. Most of you (close to 70%) would like to continue the virtual format of these fora, though with technical difficulties fixed, to be sure!

We are grateful to our panelists for sharing their time and expertise in giving us a status report:

• Ray Biggs II, Project Director for Purple Line, MDOT MTA
• Gary Witherspoon, Deputy Project Director for Purple Line, MDOT MTA
• Doran Bosso, CEO, Purple Line Transit Partners LLC
• Terry Gohde, Project Manager, Maryland Transit Solutions
• Hugo Fontirroig, Deputy Project Manager, Maryland Transit Solutions

If you would like to view the slide show which was presented during the event, just click here.

How many miles of track have been laid so far and where? Also, when do they expect to finish laying track? Have they considered battery powered trains instead of catenary. Would cut costs down.

--Ray: Although not much track has currently been laid, that which has is located along Ellin Road in New Carrollton and Campus Drive in College Park. The tracks will be completed before testing begins in 2025, at the end of the process. Light Rail Vehicles are expected to be delivered in the fall of 2023 (they will not all be delivered at once), but when they begin to arrive, it will be a sight to see as they are 142 ft long. Vehicles will be powered by a catenary system, not designed for battery operated power.

When will tracks start being laid on Wayne Ave?

--Terry: We are working hard to maintain safety for pedestrians, especially with the schools located in the vicinity. Before we start installing track, we have to complete movement of overhead and underground utilities, including a major sewer system, as well as demolish and replace the existing Sligo Creek Bridge and install storm drains. Track will be installed beginning Spring 2023.

I'm a citizen in Silver Spring and also serve on the volunteer board supporting the Capital Crescent Trail. If possible, I would greatly appreciate having some additional information regarding the trail's construction presented at the September meeting. I recognize the Purple Line construction team has indicated it will likely not be ready for public use until trains are tested, likely even after the line fully opens. / What can we do to help speed up the process and return the trail for the public's use? / Do you want to break any news regarding the potential for an early opening of at least portions of the trail before the Purple Line opens for passenger service? And, if not, is the team looking at ways to potentially make that happen?

--Gary: We are working as fast as we can and ask the public to be patient and stand by. We will open the train as soon as possible and as safely as possible.

--Doran: We know how important the trail is to the community. It is something we talk about regularly. The project, as it was conceived, isn’t just about light rail, it was always about connecting communities, about multi-modal transportation, biking, and pedestrians and is very important to us as it is to the community. There are a number of factors that we have to consider, trail user safety being one of the main ones, and construction schedule being equally important. We will however, continue to evaluate every opportunity we have to open the train in advance of the system and as we get closer, we will continue to communicate how that evaluation is going. I want to emphasize that we have heard the community and it is important to everyone for us to see what we can do.

Will multiple Purple Line trains be staged in the morning on the tail tracks in Bethesda (near the Capital Crescent Civic Green) so eastbound service can be timed to start when Red Line trains arrive and depart in Bethesda? When will the contractors vacate the staging area in Bethesda where the Capital Crescent Civic Green will be located? Sometime way before fall of 2026, I hope. This would allow the future county park to start construction as soon as possible, hopefully being complete and open when the Purple Line is finished testing and open for service.

--Ray: The Woodmont Plaza will be returned to the same condition before construction began, though this will be one of the last items completed as it is a key construction access point. But, when construction is finished, it will be cleared and cleaned so that Montgomery County can build the planned park.

What condition will the Bethesda construction staging area be left in once it is vacated by the contractor? Will the space be regraded and sodded with grass to match the condition before the Purple Line contractors took over?

--Ray: The area will be restored to its pre-construction condition. Any improvements following that will be made by MNCPPC.

Has the contract for the artist at the Bethesda Station Art in Transit been awarded?

--Gary: Most of the contracts for the artists have been finalized and completed. There will 22 pieces of art in the 21 stations (Lyttonsville will have two). Artwork will be a reflection of the surrounding neighborhoods where the stations are located. You can find those areas and renderings on the www.purplelinemd.com website. The team is working on executing final contracts with the remaining artists. Art will be placed very late in the construction of the project, so a couple more years down the road.

Will Purple Line pylon signage be located near the corner of Bethesda and Woodmont Avenues, to aid in way-finding, as this will be a primary point of access to the station, for folks heading to and from the very popular Bethesda Row area? Will a WMATA Red Line signage pylon also be added near this intersection, in addition to new signage near Wisconsin Avenue for the same reason?

--Ray: We are partial to the color purple! We will be working with partners, including Ride On and the metro system for signage outside the ROW, system maps, and other materials.

Will the Purple Line route and station names be shown on the revised WMATA system map?

--Ray: We will coordinate with Metro on how best to address Purple Line connections given that we have a number of connection points. Wayfinding is certainly important to us.

No proposed renderings of the new WMATA Red Line south entrance station have been presented to the public. What will the above ground elevator core, stair and ventilation shaft architecture look like? Who is designing this station entrance? Will the design be similar to the new glass enclosed WMATA entrance on the east side of Wisconsin, near Walter Reed Military Medical Center?

--Terry: The short answer is that the design will look quite similar to the entrance to Walter Reed. Renderings and drawings of the south entrance is in the final design phase and once that is completed, we will post those renderings for viewing.

How is the relationship with representatives of the two counties when it comes to issues of this kind?

--Ray: We have lots of meetings with both counties and we try to stay interactive and in communications with them regularly.

I bought my house in 2017 in part due to expectations that the purple line can conveniently take me from my home in Long Branch neighborhood of Silver Spring to my office in Bethesda. I can certainly picture myself walking to the Long Branch station by walking through Long Branch Arliss Neighborhood Park, but it’s an unpaved foot path that isn’t lighted, and at our Long Branch neighborhood meeting neighbors told me they wouldn’t personally walk to the station unless the route was paved and lighted. A different challenge exists from the southern approach, where Long Branch Trail is already paved, but there is no pedestrian crossing right where the trail ends at Piney Branch. Who should the neighbors be working with to get the “last mile” pedestrian approaches safe and ready for the Purple Line?

--Ray: I appreciate the concerns of the questioner here. Definitely understand the desire of the community’s connectivity to our system – it is after all the  primary purpose -- to be able to connect to the other systems throughout our region whether by foot, bike, bus, or train. Unfortunately, this part is outside the scope of the Purple Line and would instead be within the purview of the county and the planning commission. Montgomery County has a program that supports pedestrian approaches to the Purple Line stations in the final condition. [ed. note: we will forward the link for the program as soon as we receive it.]

With the removal of the second elevator at some stations will there be any sort of "alternate" route for people who use wheelchairs such as a ramp out of the station to the street level.

--Ray: All Purple Line Stations will be ADA compliant with stairs, ramps, and/or elevators.

Timeline for when test track to be completed and when those 19 cars can be shipped?

--Ray: We have 28 cars on order and 19 are ready to be shipped. The tracks will need to be completed before testing begins in 2025. The LRVs are scheduled to be delivered to OMF Fall of 2023.

Why don't you make a window in the black plastic shroud around construction sites so that we can see what is progressing? That seems a very simple way of encouraging community engagement with the project. In London, where my husband comes from, the builders make an artistic issue of such a window and encourage onlookers to see what is happening. That way there is no need for some curious taxpayer to rip a hole in the shroud!!

--Gary: The black mesh covers are intended to cover construction areas – and are in place to protect against wind damage as well as to serve as a visible barrier between the public and the construction zones. They also provide dust control. We do get complaints regarding what they consider unsightly construction areas, too.

Has the plan for construction of the Purple Line along Piney Branch Rd included a pedestrian and bike crossing from the Long Branch Trail to the Long Branch Rec Center? Currently the crossing requires bikers and pedestrians to cross at Barron St. Barron St is a poor choice for a crossing. Bikers often ignore the Barron Street crossing and instead cross directly through traffic. Bikers have to use the narrow sidewalk to do so and often balk at going uphill to then travel back downhill to get to the Rec Center. There are many families with children who live on the south side of Piney Branch whose children use the pool next to the rec center. It is important to have a safe crossing where the path intersects with Piney Branch. Furthermore, there is increased danger due to the downhill approach. Pedestrians (especially shorter children) are harder to see and the downhill often makes cars speed or even speed up to beat the light at Barron St.

--Ray: I’m a biker, too! We will be adding a signal to Garland Avenue which will have crosswalks across all lanes of the intersection, as well as Barron Street. There will be no mid-block crossing on Piney Branch Road, so pedestrians will have to use Barron Street, Arliss Street, or in the future, Garland.

Are there any organized plans to mark each station?

--Doran: Although we have no plans to pre-mark the stations, it won’t be long until we see stations popping up along the corridor. Folks can see an interactive map and graphics of those station locations at www.purplelinemd.com

If you do not see your question(s) above, let us know. Some came in after the deadline, so they are still in the process of being answered. 

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.

Last Chance - Registration for September 22 Purple Line NOW Forum!

You are invited to join us for the next Purple Line NOW forum on Thursday, September 22, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm virtually via Zoom!

The topic of the evening will be a thorough update on the project from a trifecta of terrific presenters from MDOT MTA, Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP), and Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS).

For more information, read our latest newsletter, Purple Line NOW News, September 21, 2022.

**Last chance to register! The forum is free and open to the public and press, but you must register in advance:

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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Questions for Forum Due by Noon TODAY!
  • Last Chance to Register for Purple Line NOW Forum!
  • Please Help Us Continue Our Work
• Purple Line in the News
• Construction News
  • Montgomery County Council Briefing Highlights

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?

Questions for Forum Due by Noon Today

Do you have a last minute burning question for our presenters tomorrow night? Don't forget to send in your questions for our presenters by NOON today. Many of you have already sent in questions -- rest assured, if we don't get to all of the questions in the time allotted, we will publish those answers in a future newsletter.

You can email questions to: Christine Scott, PLN Executive Director, [email protected], but hurry!

Last Chance to Register for Purple Line NOW Forum!

We have a terrific slate of speakers for the Purple Line NOW forum THIS Thursday, September 22 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (via Zoom)!

• Ray Biggs II, Project Director for Purple Line, MDOT MTA
• Anita Rodgers, Anita Rodgers, Deputy Project Director for Purple Line, MDOT MTA
• Doran Bosso, CEO, Purple Line Transit Partners LLC
• Terry Gohde, Project Manager, Maryland Transit Solutions
• Hugo Fontirroig, Deputy Project Manager, Maryland Transit Solutions

If you haven't registered yet, this is your last chance to do so! Click on the green button below which will take you to the registration page. The forum is free and open to the public and press, but you must register in advance!

Event Sponsorship: If you would like to sponsor the event, please let us know. We publish all our donors and sponsors at every forum – we can’t do this without you. Thanks in advance for your consideration!

Please Help Us Continue Our Work

As you can see from our exciting announcement above, our work continues! To that end, as we enter our fundraising season, we hope you will take a moment to consider a donation to Purple Line NOW to help us continue offering these educational events, producing this newsletter, keeping on top of breaking news, and helping you get answers to questions or concerns that pop up as construction resumes to full speed. Donating online is easy – just click the PURPLE button below! 

We are proud to be supported by our donors and use every opportunity we can to let the community know how much we appreciate you. Unless you tell us otherwise, your name (or company name) will be listed on our website for a year following your donation, highlighted at our virtual and in person public events, and in printed materials where possible.

Not sure whether you’ve given in the past 12 months? You can check out our donor page – if you don’t see your name, we would be grateful if you would consider renewing your donation for the coming year. If you do see your name, but would like to know when your year is up, shoot us an email at [email protected] and we can tell you when your year’s donation is ending.

We exist because we are led by a group of dedicated volunteer board and team members, many who have been working on behalf of seeing this transit line come to life for many decades! We have a part time executive director (that’s me!) We operate solely on donations from folks like you.

Our books are always open – if you would like to see our most recent financial reports or how we use your donations to further our mission, send us an email or give us a call and we will be happy to share. Our treasurer gets nervous when we get below $3,000 in the bank and we are approaching that point just in time for our fundraising season.

Thank you in advance for your consideration!

THE PURPLE LINE IN THE NEWS

DePuyt, B. "After two years in low gear, work resumes." Maryland Matters, 12 September 2022.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Montgomery County Council Purple Line Briefing

The briefing was held a week ago, September 13, 2022. You can catch the full briefing video here or download the briefing report:

Briefing the Council was Matt Pollack, Executive Director of Transit & Delivery for MDOT MTA, Doran Bosso, CEO of Purple Line Transit Partners, Terry Gohde, Project Manager, Maryland Transit Solutions, and Hugo Fontirroig, Deputy Project Manager, Maryland Transit Solutions.

The team confirmed the opening of revenue service for the Purple Line will be Fall 2026, four years behind the original schedule. A fare structure has not yet been decided.

Mr. Pollack reviewed some of important benefits of the future line including, “new multimodal connections to our three MARC lines, four WMATA subway lines, and bus transfers including the Takoma Langley transit center.” He added the convenience and dependability of east-west transit tops the list for the community.

As for timeline, Mr. Pollack said the project is currently “between the mobilization phase and beginning of construction period.” The State crews are still out in the field working, but MTS is now, as well. A lot of their focus has been in the area of maintenance facility and test track because, Pollack explained, “that will factor into the critical portion of the schedule where we need to get our test track complete to start as soon possible and for as long as necessary to have a safe opening in the fall of 2026.” MTS is currently reviewing the entire alignment.

One of our favorite topics, the light rail vehicles, was highlighted, with 26 of the 28 cars completed and resting in Elmira, New York. Nineteen of those cars would be able to ship right now if the facility was ready to accept them, so the push to get the maintenance facility ready is important.

You may remember the original order was for 26 cars, but the team added two more cars to help with reliability and run times to make sure it is predictable and convenient.

The way the cars look make be a surprise to some because they are much longer than we are used to seeing.  At 142 feet – about 1.5 times of what a normal car looks like – these will be the longest cars currently used in the country.  

The presentation included lots of details about timeline, alignment-wide work occurring, as well as technical insight into certain points along the alignment, but the main questions to come from council members circled around both the trail and pedestrian safety.

Right now, the trail is scheduled to open concurrently with the opening of revenue service for the Purple Line, which is different from what the former builder had indicated in terms of the potential for a soft opening of the trail prior to the beginning of passenger service.

The question was asked by several councilmembers about why at least portions of the trail cannot be open during testing, understanding that active construction would prevent that from occurring. The team was strongly urged to find a way to accommodate the promise made by the previous builder. Councilmember Andrew Friedson noted that many residents rely on the trail for their everyday lives and is very important in the way they get to work, school, etc. He went on to say that the loss of the trail which they thought would be a temporary closure of a few years, has stretched on and that it “would go a long way to restore the trust” to find a way to open portions of the trail early where possible.

Councilmember Albornoz asked whether there were any concerns about supply chain delays?

Mr. Gohde said, “We have spent these past months since April putting ourselves in a position that we can start the work and not shut it back down for something we didn’t foresee. We have been very deliberate in taking our time to be sure. Right now we have 100 management level folks, labor force is about 70 plus. We have significant subs. We believe that we have mitigated those challenges.”

Questions from Councilmember Hucker surrounded pedestrian safety and access, saying that the leaders of the project have been very responsive and helpful, but there is still the need for more staffing and infrastructure to guarantee safety.

We encourage you to listen to the full briefing if you would like to hear all the questions asked and to see the full slide show. We would also make a shameless plug for you to attend the Purple Line NOW Forum tomorrow evening, Thursday, September 22 where the key project leaders from the state, concessionaire, and builder will brief attendees and answers questions. You must register at the link above to attend the virtual event.

One final note, we were tickled that Purple Line NOW was tangentially mentioned by Councilmember Andrew Friedson during the briefing who noted, “the project is as old as I am. Harry Sanders’ son is now carrying the banner for the Purple Line. [Harry was Purple Line NOW's founder, his son, Greg Sanders, is now Purple Line NOW Vice President.] We can put the stops and starts and lawsuits behind us. Work with teams and labor organization to get it done.”

We couldn’t agree more, Councilmember Friedson!

Photos from Around the Corridor

As construction ramps up this autumn, snap a few photos and send them to us at [email protected]. With your permission, we'll give you photo credit and publish the photo when space allows. Today's photos of the Crescent at Chevy Chase project come from Rob Bindeman of Landmark Realty, Inc. 

Future Connecticut Avenue Station, adjacent to Chevy Chase Lake

Crescent at Chevy Chase

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.