Welcome to the Latest Edition of Purple Line NOW News!

There’s a lot to share this edition, and we’re glad you’re here with us. The Purple Line has reached one of its most meaningful milestones yet, and the energy across the corridor is unmistakable. From major construction progress to community celebrations to the work we’re doing right here at Purple Line NOW, this issue is full of updates that reflect just how far this project has come.

In this edition, you’ll find:

• A milestone worth celebrating -- the final piece of rail is officially in place, a moment marked by state, county, and federal leaders and witnessed by several of our own board members.
• A chance to shape our next Purple Line NOW Forum -- we’re asking for your input on whether our fall event should be in person, virtual, or hybrid.
• A heartfelt thank you to our supporters -- and an invitation to join our donor community if you don’t yet see your name listed.
• Community Advisory Team Meetings conclude -- check out what we've learned during the spring sessions.

And here’s one more fresh Purple Line update from the past month: Crews have begun expanding live‑wire testing along additional segments of the alignment, including areas near the University of Maryland campus, as systems integration ramps up ahead of the 2027 opening target. This testing phase is a major step toward preparing the line for full operations and marks another sign of steady forward movement.

As always, if you want to stay on top of construction notices, detours, and weekly field updates, you should sign up directly for official alerts. It’s the best way to keep track of what’s happening on the ground as the project accelerates toward opening day.

We’re grateful to have you with us as the Purple Line enters this exciting new chapter. Let’s take a look at what’s happening across the corridor.

 

WHAT'S HAPPENING!

A Warm Thank You and a Gentle Ask

As we head into the summer months, we want to pause and extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported Purple Line NOW this year. Your generosity keeps this work moving -- from producing this newsletter, to hosting public forums, to keeping our community informed as the project advances. We truly mean it when we say we could not do this without you.

Summer is typically a quieter season for contributions, even though our work continues steadily behind the scenes. While we often run a matching campaign in the late fall, we rely on support throughout the year to stay afloat and keep delivering the updates and engagement our community counts on.

If your name appears on the donor list below, please know how grateful we are for you. And if you don’t see your name, we hope you’ll consider making a gift that fits your circumstances. Every contribution -- large or small -- helps us remain a trusted, consistent source of Purple Line news and advocacy.

Your name or your business name will be highlighted at all Purple Line NOW events (including our signature Envisioning the Purple Line series), as well as on our website, for a full year following your most recent donation.

Thank you again to all of our generous supporters.

Featured Donors

Maryland Department of Transportation
The Sanders-Malloy Family
Tina, Don, and Jessie Slater

Supporters

Elizabeth Barbehenn

Engineers

Isiah Leggett, Ben Ross, Nancy and Rob Soreng

Conductors

Jodie Kulpa-Eddy, John Robinson, Christine Scott and JohnR Llewellyn

Commuters

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

Community Advisory Team Meetings Wrap Up as the Purple Line Enters a New Phase

With the Purple Line now deep into testing and pre‑operations, this spring’s Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings offered one last round of detailed, on‑the‑ground updates before the project shifts into its next chapter. These sessions, held for each segment of the alignment, have long been a trusted way for neighbors to hear directly from project leaders. Now that the spring cycle has concluded, we wanted to share a look at the themes that emerged across the corridor.

At the center of many updates was the Glenridge Operations & Maintenance Facility, which is now fully active and humming with daily activity. This is the operational heart of the Purple Line -- where operators train, vehicles are dispatched, communications are monitored, and maintenance crews keep the system running. The wash bay, storage tracks, and repair shops are all in service, supporting the fleet of 28 light rail vehicles delivered ahead of schedule in late 2025.

Those vehicles have already completed their initial testing at Glenridge, where crews verified propulsion, braking, overhead power connections, and communication links with the operations center. With that groundwork complete, the project has moved into the more visible, corridor‑wide phase of testing.

Testing continues to roll out section by section through 2026. Each area must pass a rigorous checklist: newly installed rail, overhead catenary wires, on‑board systems, traffic signals, gates, and the full suite of operational technologies that must work together seamlessly before opening day.

Because traffic control systems are not yet active in these test zones, Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) crews remain stationed at key intersections. That means police officers, flaggers, and occasional short‑term closures during the overnight testing window -- typically 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays. Once testing begins in a segment, the project team reminds everyone to treat the area as “live,” with trains appearing periodically even if construction crews are still present.

Photo Courtesy of Ralph Bennett

To help communities prepare, the outreach team has been hard at work. Residents near testing areas may have already seen door hangers, variable message signs, and school safety presentations. The University of Maryland community has received targeted outreach as well, including signage and coordinated communication with campus partners. A dedicated Testing and Safety page now brings key information together in one place.

The safety message remains simple and essential:

• Always expect a train.
• Use designated crossings.
• Never walk, bike, or park on the tracks.
• Treat all overhead wires as energized -- they carry 1,500 volts DC and are extremely dangerous.

With the CAT meetings now wrapped for the season, we extend our thanks to everyone who participated, asked questions, and stayed engaged. These sessions have been an invaluable bridge between the project team and the communities along the alignment.

If you’d like to revisit any of the materials presented, the full slide decks are available on the Purple Line website.

We Need Your Input: Help Shape Our Next Purple Line NOW Forum

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. In the next few days, you’ll see a short survey pop into your inbox asking for your thoughts on the format of the event -- should we gather in person again, stay virtual, or try a hybrid mix?

We’ll also share the same questions on our social media channels so everyone can weigh in.

Your feedback will help us choose the format that makes it easiest for you to participate and stay engaged with the project as it moves toward opening day.

A Milestone to Remember: The Purple Line's Final Rail is in Place!

On a bright May afternoon in Silver Spring, the Purple Line reached a milestone that felt both triumphant and deeply personal for many in our community. At the future 16th Street–Woodside Station, state, county, and federal leaders gathered to tap the final rail clips into place, marking the completion of 193,100 feet of track connecting Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.

Photo Courtesy of Donna Nelson

Two of our own board members, Greg Sanders and Barbara Sanders, were there to witness the moment firsthand. For the Sanders family especially, but to all who knew the late Harry Sanders, the day carried special meaning. Harry spent decades championing this project long before ground was ever broken, and seeing the final rail installed felt like a quiet nod to his persistence, vision, and belief that better transit could knit our communities together. Barbara and Greg’s presence at the ceremony reminded all of us that the Purple Line is more than steel and concrete -- it is the culmination of decades of community effort, vision, and the hope of Harry and so many others who worked tirelessly to advocate for this project.

Leaders Celebrate a Long‑Awaited Moment

Governor Wes Moore, Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, and a host of county leaders arrived in bright yellow safety vests and purple hard hats, ready to celebrate a milestone nearly a decade in the making. Governor Moore spoke about the promise finally being fulfilled, saying Marylanders have long asked whether leaders would deliver on the Purple Line. “Today, we are delivering,” he said, noting that the project has completed more than 16 miles of track and put more than 2,000 people to work.

Photo Courtesy of Donna Nelson

Lt. Governor Miller reflected on the years of construction and the patience of residents and small businesses. As an engineer, she emphasized how infrastructure shapes daily life and said the Purple Line will “connect communities, expand access to jobs and opportunity, and strengthen our state’s transportation network for generations to come.”

Senator Van Hollen highlighted the project’s regional importance, noting that east‑west connections have long been missing from the region’s transit network. He called the Purple Line “important for economic empowerment” and a major step toward strengthening communities and improving environmental outcomes. 

Prince George’s County leaders also underscored what this milestone means for their communities. The Purple Line’s 21 stations span both counties, and the project promises new access to jobs, education, and services. Senator Van Hollen reiterated that the Purple Line was designed to connect communities “that had been left behind” by the region’s north‑south transit patterns.

Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy celebrated the milestone as a long‑term investment in the county’s economic future. “We are excited that the Purple Line is almost ready,” she said. “Investing in the Purple Line has always been about investing in our economy and community by connecting the places people live, work, learn -- and enjoy life."

Maryland Delegate Marc Korman emphasized the importance of suburb‑to‑suburb transit, noting that most Montgomery County commuters travel to other suburbs rather than into D.C. “That’s why a suburb‑to‑suburb transit connection, a fixed transit connection like the Purple Line, is so important,” he said.

A Celebration Shared Across Maryland

The milestone drew praise from leaders statewide, including Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña‑Melnyk, who shared her excitement on social media. In her words: “This is what progress looks like. This is what keeping our promises looks like.”

Her message echoed the mood on the ground -- a sense that after years of delays, lawsuits, contractor changes, and community disruptions, the Purple Line is finally turning a corner.

What Comes Next

With the final rail installed, crews now shift their focus to station structures, Art‑in‑Transit installations, landscaping, and the complex systems integration needed before passenger service begins. Officials continue to aim for a late‑2027 opening, with testing already underway along several segments.

Photo Courtesy of Greg Sanders

The finish line is finally in sight. As the Purple Line moves into its next phase, we look forward to sharing more updates, more milestones, and more stories from the communities that have supported this project every step of the way.

And today, we celebrate -- together.

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