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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Why We Ask for Support
• Happening Along the Purple Line Corridor
  
  • Purple Line NOW Forum
• Construction Updates and Project Features
  
  • Update on Project Delay
  • Purple Line Artwork
  • Other Items that Caught Our Eye
  • Photos Around the Corridor

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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN?

A Purple Line NOW Appeal

A big THANK YOU to all who answered our call for financial support a few weeks ago! If you don't see your name on our website list of sponsors, we hope you will consider a gift to Purple Line NOW. For those who may have missed it, we are reprinting our appeal below and ask for your help to continue our work:

We are making an appeal to those of you who have not contributed to Purple Line NOW in a while and to those who have never donated to our organization. For those of you who are new to us, you may not realize that Purple Line NOW does not do any special event fundraising, nor are we underwritten by any organization or company. Everything we do -- all the advocacy, newsletters, educational webinars -- is supported by our donors. We operate on a tiny budget (under $20,000 a year) and when our coffers get low, we ask our supporters to consider a donation to us.

To that end, we wanted to reach out to you with a quick update on the status of the Purple Line project and to ask for your support.

As you know, Purple Line NOW was established to promote the approval and funding of the Purple Line project. After more than 20 years of advocacy, we were thrilled when the project was finally approved. We had worked tirelessly to ensure that the Purple Line would become a reality, and we are proud of our efforts.

However, we have learned that since construction began, the challenges to completing the project have continued. Nevertheless, we remain convinced that the Purple Line will have an incredibly positive impact on the quality of life for commuters and travelers in our region. We believe that the Purple Line will provide a vital connection between neighborhoods, universities, and job centers, and will help to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.

Despite the challenges, we here at Purple Line NOW have continued to work as a conduit between the community and builders so that questions and concerns can be addressed. We have advocated for a final product that is a real asset for the communities it will serve. We have also been working to raise awareness of the benefits of the Purple Line and to build support for the project.

However, we cannot do this work alone. We rely on the support of donors like you to help us continue our efforts. We are asking for your help once again to ensure that the Purple Line project is completed as planned, and that it serves the needs of our community.

Your donation will help us continue our advocacy efforts and ensure the Purple Line project is a success.

If you are a previous donor, thank you for your past gift to us and for your consideration of continuing your support into the future. If you are not sure whether you contributed to us in the past year, check out our current donors on our website. (All donors are listed for a year following their donation.)

If you are new to us, welcome! Please contact us with any questions you may have. 

The "DONATE" button below will take you directly to the donation page. Thank you in advance for your consideration and for all you do for our community!

HAPPENING ALONG THE PURPLE LINE CORRIDOR

Purple Line NOW Forum

We are working to pull together a forum headlined by both the Prince George's and Montgomery counties' Planning Boards in September. Stay tuned and watch this space for more information!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES & PROJECT FEATURES

Update on Project Delay

Back in February, Purple Line NOW News reported on a potential delay occurring later this year after an analysis of the project status was conducted on behalf of the new builder. It seemed very likely then that the project would face a seven-month delay into early 2027.

While the timeline for the project (which would include the delay) was not revised until earlier this month, the revision may have come as a surprise to some. In the monthly newsletter from the Purple Line MDOT team, Project Director Ray Biggs II writes, “I wanted to let our stakeholders, partners, community advisory team members, and business owners know, as soon as possible, about an important change regarding Purple Line construction. The Maryland Transit Administration and Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) today requested approval from the Board of Public Works (BPW) of a modification to the Purple Line Public-Private Partnership (P3) Agreement that formally extends the contractual deadline for achieving Revenue Service Availability to Spring 2027.”

Director Biggs explained that the revised schedule for opening day, “reflects the ongoing challenges and complexities of completing construction in a dense urban environment, the ongoing national workforce and supply chain issues, delays in completion of utility relocation activities, and the unique history of the Purple Line Light Rail Project.”

He notes the larger context on this delay and cost increase. The new concessionaire discovered complications that contributed to cost increases and delays at some of the work sites that had been dormant for two years. This dormancy had been a result of two significant and “highly uncommon” events: 1) the initial lawsuit that allowed a lengthy delay before finally being dismissed, and 2) the need to replace the design-build contractor after the initial concessionaire left the project. Certainly, ongoing supply chain issues because of the unprecedented pandemic and the labor force shortages played a role, as well.

We are grateful that the Maryland Transit Administration and the Concessionaire are working together to identify and mitigate further delays, and while the seven-month extension was not unexpected, we are encouraged to see so much activity happening along the corridor. A special thanks to the crews who are working through these hot summer months to get us closer to opening day.

From the Purple Line MD Team:

Maryland Today Article:

Now seems like a good time to highlight an article that first appeared back in April, but reminds us of all that is to come. (Maryland Today Staff. "The Promise (and Pain) of the Purple Line." Maryland Today, 18 April 2023.)

Photos From Around the Corridor

Photo Courtesy: MDOT MTA

Photo 

Courtesy: MDOT MTA

Photo Courtesy: MDOT MTA

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