We hope you are finding some time to relax and recharge, especially after the year we have all just experienced. Purple Line NOW News will back in September after a short break, but rest assured, if there is any news to report over the next few weeks, we'll bring it to you pronto!

Thank you for all of your support during this tough time. We are encouraged to see progress happening throughout the corridor, despite the hurdles. Before we head out for a few weeks, we leave you with a lagniappe or two, as well as some progress photos from the MDOT MTA team.

Have a wonderful and safe rest of your summer!

A Brief Update from MDOT MTA

Last month, the Purple Line Project team briefed the Purple Line NOW board on project updates. The submission deadline for the three competitors to be the new Purple Line builder is now September 27. The concessionaire's preferred choice should be shared with Maryland in late October or early November, with the final choice anticipated to go before the Board of Public Works by early December. The new design-builder should then be operating in early 2022. In the meantime, Maryland remains busy with utility relocation and other work. We already reported on the good news on the Sleaford Road pedestrian underpass in our last newsletter, while in Prince George's County, the College Park bus loop is another key step the state is prioritizing to complete on its own. The completion of the Talbot Avenue bridge will await the new builder’s hiring.

Ending the Summer on a High Note (Fingers Crossed!)

The bipartisan infrastructure bill appears to be on the way to passage and it will bring good news for transit in our region. The bill includes funding for the Capital Improvement Grants that are the source of federal Purple Line funding. The bill also has provisions for a $150 million boost to Metrorail through 2030, including renewing the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act to bring funding stability. Finally, the bill reopens the door to the Baltimore Red Line by "ensuring consideration" of projects that had once earned Federal Transit Administration support.

You can read more in the Washington Post: Infrastructure bill would boost Metro funding, reopen door to Baltimore’s Red Line project

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?

Please Help Us Continue Our Work

As we gear up for a busy fall season, we will once again be asking you to consider a donation to Purple Line NOW which will help us continue to offer events like our online webinars which are always free of charge to all participants, as well as this information-packed newsletter, along with answering many of your questions and staying on top of what is going on throughout our corridor as it relates to the project as a whole.

Purple Line NOW was fortunate enough to be the recipient of a generous matching donor last winter and you stepped up to help us during that campaign which has seen us through a difficult year. It will be time to ask anew in the fall, so we hope at that time, if you are able, you will consider supporting us with a financial donation.

We do not host special event fundraisers, nor do we receive underwriting grants from any source, government (local or otherwise), nor are we a membership organization (we do not ask for annual dues). We rely solely on support from donors like YOU!

Remember, with your donation, your name (or your business name) will be listed on our website, as well as in event literature and signage for a year following your donation.

As always, a great big thank you to ALL OF OUR DONORS! We simply could not do our work without your support. If you don't see your name on our website link, you can donate by clicking the purple button below. 

Thank you, thank you! Especially after the year from which we are all slowly emerging, a great big THANK YOU!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Photos from Around the Corridor

Purple Line NOW would like to take a moment to thank the hardworking Purple Line Project team and their crews for their diligent and careful work during these hot summer months!

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.