A Warm Welcome

We hope your summer is off to a gentle start and that you’re finding a few moments here and there to enjoy the long evenings. Along the Purple Line corridor, the past few weeks have brought a steady hum of progress. Testing is expanding, wires are going up, and we’re inching closer to that quieter stretch when the focus shifts to the testing phase.

In this issue, we’ve gathered the latest highlights for you, including new live wire testing, overnight catenary work, and a great video from the MDOT MTA team showing a Purple Line train making its way into Montgomery County. It’s a fun one to watch.

But before you dive in, we have one important request. We’re shaping our next Purple Line NOW Forum and we need your help. We’ve put together a short survey regarding location preference, and your input will make a real difference. You’ll find more about that below.

As we watch the Purple Line shift from heavy construction to testing, it feels like we’re entering a new chapter. The trains are coming, the wires are humming, and the finish line is finally coming into view. Thank you for walking this long road with us. We’re getting close now.

Let’s get you caught up!

WHAT'S HAPPENING!

Your Summer Support Goes a Long Way

Summer is always a quieter time for fundraising. Folks are traveling, spending time with family, and generally unplugging a bit. We love that for everyone, but it does mean our donations tend to dip this time of year.

If you value the updates we provide, the questions we ask on your behalf, and the community we help connect, we hope you’ll consider making a summer gift. Every donation helps us keep this work going, especially during these slower months.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

If you don’t yet see your name on our donor list, we hope you’ll consider joining our community of supporters. To donate, just click here or on the purple DONATE NOW button below. Every contribution truly makes a difference. 

With Gratitude to Our Generous Donors

We are deeply grateful for the support of everyone who helps keep Purple Line NOW strong. Your contributions make our work possible, and we appreciate you more than we can say.

Presenting Donors

The Sanders‑Malloy Family

Featured Donors

Maryland Department of Transportation
Tina, Don, and Jessie Slater

Supporters

Elizabeth Barbehenn

Engineers

Isiah Leggett
Ben Ross
Nancy and Rob Soreng

Conductors

Posey Eitzen
Jodie Kulpa‑Eddy
John Robinson
Christine Scott and JohnR Llewellyn

Commuters

Anne Ambler & John Fay
Gus Bauman
Ralph Bennett
Glen Bottoms
Peter Gray
Elaine Emling & Michael Jenner
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
Michael Larkin
Jay Miller
Judith Morenoff
James Riley
Michael Volk

Help Shape Our Next Purple Line NOW Forum: Please Take Our Survey!

We’re putting together our next Purple Line NOW Forum, and this one will focus on Operations. With construction winding down and testing ramping up, we know folks have lots of questions about what riding the Purple Line will actually be like once the doors open.

As we plan our next Purple Line NOW Forum, we’d love your help deciding what format will best serve our community. Over the past several years, our virtual forums have drawn strong attendance and made it easy for people from across the corridor to join. At the same time, we know there’s real value in gathering face to face, and if we move forward with an in‑person event, it will likely be held on the University of Maryland campus.

Before we make any decisions, we want to hear from you!

Whether you’re a longtime supporter, a neighbor along the alignment, or a UMD student who will soon be riding the Purple Line, your voice matters. Here's the link to the survey. Thank you in advance for helping us determine which option may work better for most folks. 

Here are some of the questions we’re considering for the session:

• Will e‑scooters and bikes be allowed on the trains

• How transfers will work between Metro, MARC, Amtrak, and Ride On

• What’s happening with the Capital Crescent Trail and other bike and pedestrian connections

• How fares will work

• What service frequency might look like

• What riders should know about safety, accessibility, and wayfinding

• What to expect during the testing phase before opening day

We’re still shaping the details, but as soon as we have a date, time, and slate of speakers, you'll be the first to know! Please take the survey. It’s short, and it really does help us plan something meaningful.

Construction Progress: Stations, Systems, and Summer Work Zones

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

Crews have begun live wire testing between the Lyttonsville Operations and Maintenance Facility and Bethesda Station. Overnight work is happening from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for about a week, with daytime testing to follow. This is a big milestone and a clear sign that the system is powering up.

Wayne Avenue has seen overnight closures between Dale Drive and Sligo Creek Parkway while crews install overhead catenary wires. The work runs from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and includes temporary detours for several Ride On routes.

In the Bethesda and Chevy Chase area, crews continue installing overhead wires along the alignment. Some of this work is happening overnight, but it’s generally quiet and another visible step toward full system readiness.

Latest Update on Spring Street Bridge (Silver Spring)

If you’ve been following the saga of the Spring Street Bridge in Silver Spring, you know it has been one of the more stubborn pieces of the larger construction puzzle. Earlier this year, officials shared that the reopening date had shifted from spring to summer 2026, largely due to the severe winter weather that hit in January. The cold snap and major storm forced multiple work stoppages, especially during the concrete and deck‑related phases, which pushed the schedule beyond the earlier target.

Since then, crews have continued steady progress on the reinforced concrete deck, embankment work, and the roadway approaches. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s essential, and it’s moving forward. The bridge sits in a tight, complicated corridor that overlaps with CSX and MARC operations, plus a tangle of utilities, so even small delays can ripple through the schedule.

Photo Courtesy of Webb Smedley

Photo Courtesy of Webb Smedley

For now, summer 2026 remains the expected reopening window. As always, we’ll keep you posted as soon as a firmer date becomes available. This one has been a long haul, but the finish line is finally coming into view.

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

Even as construction winds down in some areas, there are still pockets where activity is picking up. Overnight closures in Silver Spring and ongoing utility work in Bethesda are reminders that the final stretch still requires patience.

To balance the cones and detours, the MDOT MTA team shared a terrific video of a Purple Line train arriving in Montgomery County. It’s short, energizing, and a great reminder of how far we’ve come.

Photo Courtesy of MDOT MTA

A quick reminder: This summer, construction continues on the second mezzanine at Bethesda Station, which will provide a direct connection to the Purple Line -- making transfers easier and supporting long‑term ridership growth. During this work, free shuttles are replacing trains between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights.

Learn more by clicking here.

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