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

• What's Happening at PLN?
  • Short Recap on PLN Forum with Maryland Secretary of Transportation Gregory Slater
• Purple Line in the News
• Features & Highlights
  • Purple Line Employment Opportunities
  • Community Advisory Team Meetings Scheduled for Spring/Summer 2021
• Construction News
  • Photos from Around the Corridor

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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PLN?

Quick Overview of Last Night's Purple Line Update Forum

In the next edition of Purple Line NOW News, we will provide a longer overview of last night's information-packed forum with Maryland's Secretary of Transportation Greg Slater and we will include answers to many of the questions you submitted in advance for our terrific panel.

For now, we want to take a moment to thank the Secretary of Transportation and the terrific panelists who tackled all of your questions. We appreciate their time, dedication to and enthusiasm for the project, and their candid conversation about where the project stands and where it is headed. A big thank you to:

• The Honorable Gregory Slater, Maryland Secretary of Transportation
• Doran Bosso, CEO, Purple Line Transit Partners
• Maricela Cordova Garcia, Assoc. AIA, DBIA, LEED GA, ENV SP, Purple Line Implementation Manager, Montgomery County Department of Transportation
• Matthew W. Pollack, PE, PMP, Executive Director, Transit Development & Delivery for the Maryland Transit Administration
• Vic Weissberg, Major Projects Manager, Office of the Director, Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation

We had over 170 attendees signed up for the event to hear Secretary Slater bring us up-to-date on the status of the Purple Line, when we can expect to hear an announcement on the new builder, and what the State and the concessionaire are doing to move things ahead as the project gets back on track.

As we mentioned, a full overview is forthcoming, but for now, we give you a few tidbits to tide you over:

• Can you guess what the number #1 question was that we received from our audience? Bet you can! When is the Purple Line going to open? The new CEO of the Purple Line Transit Partners (the concessionaire), Doran Bosso said, "We want a reasonable, believable, well thought out, achievable schedule, so that the community … can plan with some degree of certainty when the Purple Line will be open.”
• Matthew W. Pollack, Executive Director, Transit Development & Delivery for the Maryland Transit Administration, asked folks to make sure to report any issues or problems they see along the construction route to [email protected] or call the alert numbers at 443-451-3706 / 443-451-3705 (Espanol).
• Did you know that Maryland is working to conduct a 50 year transit plan that pulls together the range of plans from across the state, including bus rapid transit plans and transit-oriented development? We didn't, either!
• The three building firms that were shortlisted back in March have been granted a few more weeks so that they can adequately complete their research before the final decision is made.

We'll leave you with this for today, Secretary Slater said, "Transportation can help redevelop communities, increase mobility, help put people back to work, and build that transportation network people will use for generations to come."

If you weren't able to join us last night and want to watch the event, you can do so at this link for the next few days: Purple Line NOW May 4, 2021 Webinar

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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.

As always, a great big thank you to ALL OF OUR DONORS! We simply could not do our work without your support. If you don't see your name on our website link, you can donate by clicking the purple button below. 

Thank you, thank you!

THE PURPLE LINE IN THE NEWS

State says no to single-tracking Purple Line through downtown Bethesda (D. Schere, April 27, 2021, Bethesda Magazine)

Purple Line NOW hosts virtual forum to discuss project status (A. Truss-Williams, May 5, 2021, The Diamondback)

Purple Line design-build contractor selection moved to fall (B. Adhikusuma, May 5, 2021, Bethesda Magazine) 

FEATURES & HIGHLIGHTS

Purple Line Employment Opportunities

From time to time, and especially in the wake of the Purple Line's previous builder leaving the project, we are asked about whether the concessionaire or MDOT MTA is hiring for Purple Line construction jobs. We have more information for you from Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) Office of Transit Development and Delivery. If you are interested in knowing more, click on this handy reference about Purple Line job inquiries.

Community Advisory Team Meetings Are Scheduled for Spring/Summer 2021

MDOT MTA will be conducting Round 8 of the CAT meetings beginning this month and running through June. As always, we will bring you highlights, but you should definitely check out the published notes or video from those meetings if you live or work in one of these communities:

University Boulevard: May 19, 6:30 pm
Silver Spring: May 25, 6:30 pm
Riverdale/New Carrollton: June 3, 6:30 pm
Bethesda/Chevy Chase: June 8, 6:30 pm
Long Branch: June 15, 6:30 pm
College Park: June 22, 6:30 pm
Greater Lyttonsville/Woodside: June 29, 6:30 pm

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

Some photos from work happening around the Purple Line corridor from MDOT MTA:

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