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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • We're $2,000 Away From Our Goal - Can You Help? Your Donation Will Be Matched!
• Photos of Progress
• Construction Updates
  • Update on the CCT Tunnel Under Wisconsin Avenue
  • MDOT MTA Update on RFQ and LRV Car Production
  • More Tree Replacement Resources

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN

We're $2,000 Away From Our Goal -- Can You Help? Your Donation Will Be Matched!

As you know, Purple Line NOW has received a generous matching donation to be used to double any donation from $25 up to $1,000 until the goal of $5,000 is reached.

As of today, our anonymous donor has currently matched $3,000 in donations! Thank you to all who have already given!

We know this is a tough time for everyone. If you are able to and can give during this matching campaign, we would sincerely appreciate your consideration. You can see a list of our generous donors on our website -- those who have contributed in the past year and helped us accomplish our work. If you do not see your name on our list or if your annual contribution is nearing expiration, we hope you’ll take the opportunity to renew your donation during this period when your generosity will be doubled by the challenge grant! Click the black button below to donate.

Challenge grants work like this: If you give a gift of $25, your donation will count as $50. If you give $1,000, your donation will count as $2,000. Any and all donations are welcome and very much appreciated.

A reminder: Purple Line NOW does not receive underwriting grants from any source, government (local or otherwise), nor are we a membership organization (we do not ask for annual dues). We operate solely on donations from individuals and businesses like you who care about the Purple Line and whose generosity allow us to continue our work each year. 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.

DONATE TODAY

FEATURES & HIGHLIGHTS

Here are some photos from work happening around the Purple Line corridor from MDOT MTA. Don't forget to send us some snaps of your own!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Update on the CCT Tunnel Under Wisconsin Avenue

You may have heard that there is a proposal on the table from the Montgomery County Executive to “single track” the Purple Line through the proposed Capital Crescent Trail tunnel (which goes under Wisconsin Avenue.) Purple Line NOW is advocating that the promises made to our community be kept and that a high-quality connection for the portion of the Capital Crescent Trail that will run from Bethesda to Silver Spring is restored. The tunnel is part of the Bethesda Purple Line Station Minor Master Plan, is in an area with proven demand for pedestrian connections, and has long been a Council priority. The Executive's proposed single-tracking alternative is to pass the buck to the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), which is unlikely to even consider such a major change at this stage in construction.

Even setting aside the fact that single-tracking would put at risk the ability of the Purple Line to carry people between Silver Spring and Bethesda in less than 10 minutes, a change order of that magnitude might prove more expensive than the proposed tunnel. The commitment made to Bethesda and the larger community of walkers and bikers should be taken seriously. To push funding out of the CIP while suggesting a non-viable alternative would break the Council's longstanding promise. 

While there is room for creative thinking on reducing costs, it should take into account the important concerns raised by Council Friedson in a February 17, 2021 letter to the Transportation and Environment Committee and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association’s CIP testimony on February 9, 2021.

MDOT MTA Update on RFQ and LRV Car Production

In a briefing earlier this week, MDOT MTA said that they hope to conclude the process of finding a new construction contractor in September. MDOT MTA said they were “greatly encouraged by the competition and number of qualified companies interested." 

Additionally, now that the state and concessionaire are past the dispute, they are conducting regular partnering sessions and will continue to do so once a builder is secured. 

They also reported that the Purple Line Light Rail Vehicles (LRV) are in full production in Spain and Elmira, New York, with the first two cars almost done and going through the final testing at the factory!

More Tree Replacement Resources

In the September 25, 2018 edition of Purple Line NOW News, we reported on some of the reasons for loss of trees, in many cases to accommodate increased volts and to prevent arcing. The builder emphasized that they are not removing any trees unless absolutely necessary and the concessionaire is operating within the guidelines of the Maryland Forest Conservation Act.

From time to time, we want to keep you posted on where homeowners and others may be able to get free or low cost trees for their own residences above and beyond what the concessionaire is required to replace. Below is a partial list, along with more information from the counties, but we are always on the look-out for more. If you know of any additional resources in Montgomery or Prince George's counties, would you let us know and we'll add it to our list? Thanks!

• Tree Montgomery Works with residents to replace additional trees. Tree Montgomery is the primary county program for putting trees into homeowners yards and is in the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.
• Preserving & Protecting the Urban Forest by Montgomery Parks, Horticulture, Forestry and Environmental Education Division
• TREE YOUR YARD Free & Discounted Trees through Montgomery Planning
• Tree ReLeaf Grant Program Through the Tree ReLEAF Grant Program, the County provides funds to community groups and municipalities for planting native trees and shrubs in public or private common areas.

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