We hope you’re slowly but surely digging out from the mountain of snow and ice Mother Nature just dropped on us. Between the blizzard and these arctic temperatures, it feels like we all deserve a medal simply for taking out the trash (or walking the dog!) A huge, heartfelt thank‑you goes to the incredible crews at MDOT MTA and all the partner agencies who have been out there around the clock -- plowing, repairing, keeping the lights on, and making sure water keeps flowing. (Just this morning, on a drive along the alignment, we saw Purple Line crews testing the signals at Riverdale North station!) Their dedication in this weather is nothing short of heroic. 

In this edition, we’re kicking off the new year with deep gratitude for the donors who powered our end‑of‑year matching campaign, including a full recognition list of the individuals, families, and organizations who make our work possible. We’re also sharing written responses to the thoughtful questions that came in after our December forum -- covering everything from road conditions and station access to community protections, system security, and signage. And because local advocacy never slows down, we’ve included an important update on Montgomery County’s newly released Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget, along with details about upcoming testimony on bus service and Purple Line sidewalk funding and the work that our friends over at Action Committee for Transit are doing.

Grab something warm to sip and settle in -- we’re glad you’re here!

WHAT'S HAPPENING!

With Deep Gratitude to Our Donors!

Thanks to your generosity -- and with the remarkable boost from our anonymous matching donor -- our matching campaign brought in $9,522 (!), a tremendous lift that will help us get the new year off with flying colors! Your support gives us the stability we need to keep doing this work with consistency and heart.

As we step into the new year, we pause to extend our heartfelt thanks to every single person and organization who supported Purple Line NOW this season -- whether through our end‑of‑year matching campaign or through gifts made at other times throughout the year. Your generosity fuels everything we do.

Today, we are honored to recognize the individuals, families, and organizations who have supported us recently. We appreciate their help in keeping our community informed, connected, and engaged as the Purple Line project moves forward.

Featured Donors

• Elizabeth Barbehenn
• Maryland Department of Transportation
• The Sanders‑Malloy Family
• Tina, Don, and Jessie Slater

Supporters

• Eric Talbot

Engineers

• Isiah Leggett
• Ben Ross
• Nancy and Rob Soreng

Conductors

• Jodie Kulpa‑Eddy
• John Robinson
• Christine Scott and JohnR Llewellyn

Commuters

Anne Ambler & John Fay, Gus Bauman, Ralph Bennett, Glen Bottoms, Marney Bruce, Margaret Chasson, Peter Gray, Gerrit Knaap, Francine Meyer, Rodolfo Perez, Mark Perlman, Kathy Porter, Tom Quinn, Webb Smedley, John Undeland

Passengers

Louise & Ross Capon, John Carroll, Mike DeLong, M. G. Diamond, Patrick Dougherty, William & Kay Gilcher, Jennifer Judd, Jay Miller, Judith Morenoff, James Riley, Michael Volk

If you don’t see your name on this list and believe it should be included, please reach out -- we want to make sure every supporter is recognized with the gratitude they deserve.

As always, Purple Line NOW continues its work without corporate underwriting, government grants, annual dues, or large institutional funding. We rely entirely on the generosity of individuals and organizations like you who value transparency, community engagement, and reliable information about the project. Your support -- at any time of year -- keeps our forums free, our newsletters consistent, and our advocacy strong.

If you feel inspired to give or renew your support, you can do so at any time. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps sustain this work.

From all of us at Purple Line NOW: thank you for standing with us, for believing in this project, and for helping us carry this momentum into the year ahead.

Warmest wishes,
Christine and the Purple Line NOW Team

Answers to Your Post‑Forum Questions

Our December forum brought together project leaders from MDOT MTA and the Purple Line Transit Partners, as well as councilmembers from both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties for a lively and informative evening. They shared major construction updates, walked through the testing timeline, and answered loads of questions that attendees submitted in advance. If you missed those earlier responses or the forum, you can find the recording here.

As promised, we also collected the questions that came in after the forum wrapped up. MDOT MTA and PLTP have now provided written responses, which we are sharing below exactly as received.

More Questions?

If you have additional questions, we encourage you to send them through the project’s official contact portal [[email protected]], which is the most direct way to reach the team handling day‑to‑day construction and operations. They’ve been consistently responsive and helpful. And if you ever run into hurdles or aren’t sure where your question belongs, Purple Line NOW is always here to assist and make sure it finds the right home.

Road Conditions

When will adjacent roads such as Wayne Ave and Piney Branch be repaved? Current conditions are described as treacherous.

As construction progresses, roads adjacent to the Purple Line, as per the design plan, including Piney Branch Road and Wayne Avenue, are scheduled for repavement in late spring 2026. Please note, the final layer of paving -- known as the “final lift” -- requires a minimum temperature of 50°F for proper application. Unfavorable weather conditions may delay final paving.

Station Access & Safety

How will safe access to stations be ensured, given that tracks are in the center of the road?

Pedestrian safety is a top priority for the Purple Line. All stations located in the center of roadways are accessible by signalized crosswalks at signalized intersections. At these intersections, pedestrian warning devices and safety arms are installed along the alignment. Pedestrians should obey all traffic signal devices. In the event a safety arm is down, pedestrians and motorists must wait until the warning lights stop flashing and the safety arms lift before crossing. It is essential that all pedestrians follow standard safety protocols when crossing tracks.

As testing progresses, the Purple Line team will distribute safety messaging and educational resources throughout the testing phases, in-person and also available on the project website, purplelinemd.com. These resources will continue through all testing phases and into revenue service opening. Operation Lifesaver is another great resource for important rail safety information for motorists and pedestrians of all walks of life: Safety Near Trains | Operation Lifesaver

Community Protections

What measures will be in place to protect residents along the route in Long Branch and Langley Park from gentrification pressures?

The Maryland Transit Administration is responsible for the construction of the Purple Line, a vital transit project being built within the approved scope of work and project right-of-way. The project encourages residents to engage with elected officials and planning agencies about affordability and community preservation issues.

System Security

Other cities have reported copper wire thefts that disrupted service. Without revealing sensitive details, can you share whether our system’s copper is secure?

System safety is a top priority during construction and revenue service., MTA police officers will patrol the alignment and light rail vehicles (LRVs), Additional monitoring of closed-circuit cameras (CCTV) at stations and at the operations and maintenance facilities (OMF) helps ensure safety for riders, operators, and equipment.

Station Signage

At the Silver Spring Library station (and likely others), signage was confusing. Every sign should indicate Eastbound or Westbound, regardless of the next stop. Since streets change direction, ultimate destinations (similar to Metro signage) would be very helpful.

As shown in the photo, static signs and electronic “next train” signs detail the direction of trains at Purple Line stations. Destinations will be displayed on the electronic marquee above the train’s windshield.

Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Budget

Montgomery County released its proposed 6‑year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget on January 15, outlining planned investments in local infrastructure from FY27 through FY32. As part of the public review process, the Action Committee for Transit (ACT) will be testifying at the County Council’s hearing on February 9 at 6:30 pm in Rockville.

ACT plans to highlight two key priorities:

• Better bus service now: ACT is urging the County to improve bus frequency immediately rather than waiting for full build‑out of future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors.
• Fully funding Purple Line sidewalks: ACT will also call for complete funding of all Purple Line–related sidewalks recommended in the Purple Line Bicycle and Pedestrian (BiPPA) program, ensuring safe, connected access to stations when the line opens.

This is an important moment for the Purple Line community. If your organization or members are planning to submit testimony -- especially on the need for complete sidewalk connections -- this hearing is a timely opportunity to make those voices heard.

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