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

• Reserve Your Spot NOW for Next Week's Next Purple Line NOW Forum!
• Judge Grants Stay - Purple Line Work to Continue
• Photos from Around the Purple Line Corridor

Stay Safe!

As we begin this last month of summer, we hope each of you are remaining healthy during this continuing pandemic, especially as we reopen our state. For us, it is good to see crews hard at work on the project, a sure sign that better days are to come. Please, stay safe!

PURPLE LINE NEWS AND EVENTS

Reserve Your Spot for August 20 Forum!

The next Purple Line NOW forum, Getting Ready for the First Purple Line Ride, will be held virtually via a Zoom Webinar on Thursday, August 20, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

We encourage you to register quickly for this educational and informative event. Although our events are always free and open to the public, Purple Line NOW operates on a slim (very slim!) budget, so we only have capacity to offer 100 spaces to those who register first. We currently are about two-thirds full, so if you haven't done so yet, please register today. If you have already reserved your space, but cannot make it, please let us know so we can give your spot to someone else. Thanks in advance!

Register by clicking this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EUcmEQEqTh-fSI9XAUE2UA

After registering, you will receive an email confirming your space, along with information about how to sign onto the webinar on the evening of August 20. Media is welcome, but they will need to register in advance at the link above.

As promised, we have been busy lining up an awesome slate of speakers for you for this bi-county forum, which will focus on both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties – and what each is doing to prepare for the day when we hop on board for that first Purple Line ride! 

Casey Anderson, Chair, Montgomery County Planning Board
Vicki Davis, President, Urban Atlantic Development
The Honorable Andrew Friedson, Montgomery County Council Member (District 1)
The Honorable Dannielle M. Glaros, Prince George’s County Council Member (District 3)
John L. Ziegenhein, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Chevy Chase Land Company and Justin Kennell, Development Manager, Bozzuto Development Company

We have also invited a representative from the Prince George’s County Planning Board to join us.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be time at the end of the webinar for audience questions, but we are asking you to submit them in advance by emailing Christine Scott at [email protected]. Questions that are of interest to the bi-county audience will be given preference as we try to get to as many of them as possible. 

Please Help Us Continue These Events!

In order for us to provide these events for you at no cost, we ask you to have a look at the generous donors who make our work possible and, if you can, take a moment to join them. The black DONATE button below will take you directly to our donation page. 

FEATURED DONORS
THE CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY
THE MALLOY AND SANDERS FAMILY
TINA, DON, AND JESSIE SLATER

SUPPORTING DONORS
ATU Local 689
John Carroll
Nancy and Rob Soreng
Eric Talbot

ENGINEERS
Anne Ambler and John Fay
Ralph Bennett
Steven Hurtt
John Robinson

CONDUCTORS
Nick Brand
Mary Lanigan
Christine Scott and JohnR Llewellyn

COMMUTERS
Elizabeth Barbehenn, Tyler Christensen, Sean Dobson, Jonathan Elkind, Elaine Emling, Joseph Fainberg, Neil Greene, William Holleran, Melanie Isis, Ginanne Italiano, Greg Madden, Debbie and Ray Marquardt, Anita Morrison, Mark Posner, Frederick Schultz, Shirley Storms, Jerry Withers, College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn

PASSENGERS
Merrie Blocker, Steve Brigham, Cathy Carr, Kris Colby, Nick Finio, Patrick Flaherty, Bradley Green, David Helms, Alexandra Knox, Daniel Marcin, Judith Morenoff, Tom Pogue, Martin Posthumus, John Undeland, Julie Zavala

Purple Line NOW, as you know, has been around for decades and we work hard to stay on top of the news, answer your questions, publish a bi-weekly newsletter, and host these informative fora several times a year. We don’t hold special event fundraisers, but when our coffers get low, we ask those of you who can, to consider a donation to Purple Line NOW. We will publicize your name (or your organization’s name) on our website and at our events as a way of thanking you and letting the community know how much you care about seeing this project finally become a reality.

We appreciate all donations, small or large. The black DONATE button below will take you directly to our donation page. Thank you, thank you for your help in making this event a success! 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

 Judge Grants Stay for Purple Line

You may have read yesterday’s news regarding ongoing negotiations between the Purple Line Transit Partners and MTA in the Washington Post (K. Shaver, Judge orders firms to continue building Purple Line, 11 August 2020) and on the website Maryland Matters (B. Dupuyt, Judge Grants State 35-Day Reprieve, 11 August 2020).

While this ruling does not resolve the larger issue between Maryland and the concessionaire, it does mitigate concerns about a slowdown in work and a loss of jobs due to the dispute. We have been heartened by the progress that has been made (see photos below), even as public statements have escalated on both sides. 

The best outcome remains for both parties to achieve a fair negotiated agreement. We hope that the Concessionaire and Maryland will use this stay to continue progress on construction as they finally resolve these longstanding disputes.

Additionally, the Washington Post weighed in late yesterday afternoon in a piece by their editorial board which highlights the need for Governor Hogan to be "point man for the state" to resolve the crisis. The conclusion lays out the stakes: "The rescue is worth it, for the same reason the Purple Line has always made sense as a lifeline for older neighborhoods and job hubs, and for commuters with no suburb-to-suburb transit options. No one can afford to let a project of this importance go to seed." (Editorial Board, The Purple Line is hanging by a thread. It should be rescued. 11 August 2020). 

Send Us Your Photos!

Especially now, when so many of us are at home, we long for photos of progress along the Purple Line corridor. If you are out on a socially-distanced walk or drive, snap a few shots of Purple Line progress you see and send them to us! Don't forget to include a name so we can give a photo credit. Send photographs to: [email protected]. Thanks! While we wait for yours, here are a few to tide you over.

River Road, South of College Metro. Photo Courtesy of Ralph Bennett

Campus Drive Under Metro Tracks at College Park Metro. Photo Courtesy of Ralph Bennett.

Stay 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.