Dear Friends,

Welcome to spring! If you’ve taken a drive around the corridor, you’ve probably noticed the snow has melted and we are finally trading winter grays for something a little brighter. The Purple Line is doing the same these days, and the past few weeks have brought a noticeable shift in energy up and down the alignment.

As Ray Biggs, Purple Line Senior Project Director at MDOT MTA, noted in his monthly newsletter, March brought both International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week! The Purple Line has hundreds of women shaping this project -- engineers, planners, construction crews, operations specialists, and more. We salute these awesome women and grateful for the work they do every day to make this project become a reality.

Construction is now 88.8% complete with track installation at 87% and you can feel that progress on the ground. As the weather warms, you’re likely to see more landscaping and station elements emerging -- and fewer orange cones -- as the project steadily transitions toward a year dominated by vehicle testing and systems integration.

Speaking of testing, we have a big development to share: Live wire testing is expanding into the University of Maryland campus, with overnight runs beginning a few weeks ago. There’s plenty more happening, so here’s a quick look at what you’ll find below in this edition:

Highlights

• Live wire testing expands into the University of Maryland campus
• Dynamic testing continues across the alignment, including College Park
• Brief overview of the latest Joint Chairmen’s Report (JCR) on Purple Line construction
• Spring Street Bridge timeline update
• Upcoming Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings
• Ongoing construction and detours across the corridor

As we head into spring, it’s heartening to see the Purple Line taking visible shape -- trains gliding along various parts of the alignment at night, station elements emerging along the corridor, and construction inching ever closer to the finish line. The latest state report gives us a clearer picture of what’s ahead: A big push toward substantial completion in 2026, followed by a year of rigorous testing to ensure the system is safe, reliable, and ready for riders.

We’ll continue keeping you informed through it all. Thanks, as always, for reading, for sharing your questions, and for being part of this community that cares so deeply about getting this project right.

Warmly,
Christine

WHAT'S HAPPENING!

Your Support Keeps Us Moving Forward

As the Purple Line moves into this next major phase of testing and system integration, we’ve been reflecting on the long arc of this project -- and on the people who have walked alongside us for so many years. Purple Line NOW has been advocating for this line for decades, and many of you have been with us just as long. Your commitment, your questions, your encouragement, and your generosity have shaped this work every step of the way.

Our mission has always been bigger than simply providing updates. We clarify information, communicate openly with the public, and advocate for initiatives that help make the Purple Line a reality. And we do it without corporate underwriting, government grants, annual dues, or large institutional funding, but rather by you, our neighbors, riders, students, businesses, and supporters who believe in a more connected, more accessible region.

Your contributions make everything we do possible. They keep our newsletters consistent, our public forums free, and our advocacy strong at a moment when clear, reliable information is more important than ever. We truly could not do this without you.

Below, you’ll find a list of the generous donors who are already supporting our work this year. If you don’t see your name -- and you’d like to support our mission -- we would be honored to add you. Just click the purple DONATE NOW! box below. Every gift, of every size, helps sustain the work we do together.

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 months ahead. We are deeply grateful for your partnership.

Featured Donors
Maryland Department of Transportation
The Sanders-Malloy Family
Tina, Don, and Jessie Slater

Supporters
Elizabeth Barbehenn

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, Peter Gray, Gerrit Knaap, Francine Meyer, Kathy Porter, Tom Quinn, Webb Smedley, John Undeland

Passengers
Louise & Ross Capon, John Carroll, Margaret Chasson, Mike DeLong, Patrick Dougherty, William & Kay Gilcher, Jay Miller, Judith Morenoff, James Riley, Michael Volk

Live Wire Testing Expands Into the University of Maryland Campus

The Purple Line team has announced a major milestone for Prince George’s County: Live wire testing of the light rail vehicles (LRVs) is now underway on the University of Maryland campus, with overnight testing beginning a few weeks ago.

This phase has been months in the making. Technical crews, safety teams, local agencies, and UMD officials have been coordinating behind the scenes to prepare the corridor for energized testing -- a critical step toward full system integration.

Testing takes place nightly between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with LRVs operating quietly but fully energized. Intersections are briefly closed by police or flaggers as trains pass through. The testing route runs from the College Park–UMD Station, across Route 1, and along Campus Drive to the Adelphi Road–UMGC–UMD Station.

The outreach team has installed dozens of weatherproof signs across campus and launched a new Testing & Safety webpage with videos and tips. The message is simple and important: Treat every track as active.

This is one of the most visible signs yet that the Purple Line is entering its long, complex testing and commissioning phase.

Dynamic Testing Expands Along the Alignment -- Including College Park

Dynamic testing -- where LRVs run on energized track to validate power, braking, and communications -- continues to broaden across the corridor. In College Park, trains have been spotted moving between the future Campus Drive, East Campus, and M Square stations. PLN President Ralph Bennett (who moonlights as a UMD professor when he’s not doing PLN duty!) even caught a few trains “in the wild” on campus.

It is clear that the project is shifting from heavy construction toward operational readiness. Each test run helps confirm that track, power, and signal systems are working together as intended, and it gives the community a glimpse of what daily service will eventually feel like.

Photo Courtesy of Ralph Bennett

Photo Courtesy of Ralph Bennett

Key Takeaways from the Full JCR Construction Status Report

The March 2026 Joint Chairmen's Report, summarizing progress through January 31, 2026, offers several important developments.

Construction Nearing 90% -- But Testing Will Continue for Over a Year

The report clarifies:

“Although substantial construction completion is anticipated by late 2026, the system will undergo rigorous testing for more than one year beyond the construction completion date.”

This means 2027 will be dominated by systems integration, safety certification, and demonstration testing.

Capital Crescent Trail Reopening Shifts to Fall 2026

The CCT completion date has been updated:

“The Capital Crescent Trail projected completion date has been updated to Fall 2026 due to continued use for construction access.”

Weather‑dependent grading and wall work continue, and MTA notes it will reopen portions only when safe to do so.

Why This Matters

The JCR update is one of the clearest windows into the project’s true status -- steady construction progress, a long testing period ahead, and active work to resolve schedule risks.

Spring Street Bridge Timeline Update

As we noted in our previous newsletter, the Spring Street Bridge in downtown Silver Spring -- long a bottleneck in the construction schedule -- is now expected to reopen in summer 2026, a shift from the earlier spring estimate. The delay stems from the complexity of utility relocations and coordination with CSX and MARC operations. Crews continue to work extended hours when possible, and once complete, the bridge will provide improved pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicular connections to the future 16th Street/Woodside station.

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

High‑Impact Construction Continues

The agency’s latest updates highlight several closures and detours still in effect, with an interactive map available for residents tracking neighborhood‑level impacts. As always, we encourage you to check in with their construction updates on their website.

Construction continues across the corridor, including:

• Overhead wire installation
• Utility relocations
• Intermittent lane closures
• Occasional overnight work
• Pedestrian detours around active work zones

Expect periodic noise and traffic disruptions as crews push toward major milestones. The project team continues to emphasize safety and encourages everyone to follow posted signage and avoid entering work areas.

Spring Community Advisory Team Meetings Set

Spring Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings are scheduled for April 14–28, offering residents a chance to hear updates specific to their segment, ask questions, and stay engaged as the project moves into its testing‑heavy phase.

All CAT meetings are scheduled from 6 pm - 7:30 pm, with Microsoft Teams links posted at Purple Line MD | Public Meetings and Events. The Spring 2026 CAT schedule is:

Tuesday, April 14 University Boulevard
Thursday, April 16 Long Branch
Tuesday, April 21 Lyttonsville/Woodside
Wednesday, April 22 Riverdale Park/New Carrollton
Thursday, April 23 Bethesda/Chevy Chase
Monday, April 27 College Park
Tuesday, April 28 Silver Spring

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