Before you dig into this edition of our chock-full-of-information newsletter, a few dates for Purple Line related events we wanted to call your attention to hosted by MTA:

• Purple Line Open House (Montgomery County), October 1, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Silver Spring Civic Building
• Purple Line Open House (Prince George's County), October 4, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, UMD Stamp Student Union Atrium

And, as you'll read below, we have added a new page to our website where we will keep a running list of businesses that have relocated (or will be soon), some that have closed, and others that will be able to remain open during construction. (Hat tip to the Source of the Spring for rounding up the state of Spring Center businesses last year.) If you have any updates we missed, now or in the coming months, please email our Executive Director, Christine Scott ([email protected]) and we will update our list accordingly.

Please feel free to share this bi-weekly newsletter with others who may appreciate information about the project. As always, if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line! If you find the information contained in our newsletter useful, please consider a donation to us (we are a not-for-profit organization). 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

Strip Mall Demolished to Construct Future Purple Line Station

Another demolition that is essential to the construction of the Purple Line got underway late last month.

The Spring Center strip mall on 16th Street in Silver Spring was demolished to clear way for the construction of the Purple Line tracks, as well as the future Woodside/16th St. station, which will sit towards the rear of where the shopping center once stood, adjacent to the CSX train tracks. The property will also serve as the primary construction staging area in Montgomery County, meaning that materials and heavy equipment used for construction will be stored there. 

The above map shows path the Purple Line will take through property and location of Woodside/16th St. station

The majority of the property had been fenced off since the beginning of the year, but demolition was put on hold until all of the businesses had relocated. The last tenant to move out was the United States Post Office, which closed at the end of July. Coincidentally, the post office has temporarily relocated to a location just steps away from another Purple Line station: the Silver Spring Library! 

Half of Spring Center has been demolished. The other half is still in process of being torn down

Though construction of the Purple Line requires the complete demolition of the shopping center, not all of the property will be utilized by the Purple Line. Approximately four acres of land will be available for redevelopment once construction of the Purple Line is finished, making it a prime location for a new mixed-use retail/residential development.

The southern portion of the strip mall has been completely demolished

The demolition displaced more than twenty businesses, but, on the bright side, many of them have found new homes in and around downtown Silver Spring. When people think of supporting businesses during the construction period, they tend to think of the businesses that will remain open during heavy construction; but it’s important for us, as community members, to also patronize businesses that were forced to relocate through no fault of their own. To that end, we’ve created a handy dandy webpage with a listing of the businesses that were impacted by the demolition of the Spring Center, as well as information about their other locations or their relocation addresses.

We encourage you and your neighbors to continue to frequent these businesses during the construction period and beyond. 

Lane Closure Goes Into Effect at The University of Maryland

A new traffic pattern has gone into effect on a major artery through the heart of the University of Maryland's College Park campus.

On the eve of the first day of classes, Campus Drive permanently transitioned to a one-way road in order to accommodate the forthcoming construction of the Purple Line tracks that will line either side of the street. From this point forward, the road will only be open to westbound traffic with the exception of buses and emergency vehicles, which will be permitted to travel in both directions when the tracks are clear of trains. 

Traffic headed west on Campus Drive with Stamp Student Union pictured in background

This isn't the first time Campus Drive has been restricted to one-way travel. The eastbound lane was previously closed to traffic while the beautiful Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center was being constructed on Campus Drive. Unlike that closure though, this one will remain in place even after construction is complete.

To help drivers adjust to the new traffic pattern, Purple Line Transit Partners has disseminated a map highlighting alternate routes around the closure. 

But wait, there's more!

As part of the construction project, a nearly 1-mile long bike path will also be constructed parallel to the Purple Line as it crosses the campus. The separated bi-directional bike path will run from Presidential Drive on the west side of campus to Baltimore Avenue (aka Route 1) on the east side.

The bike path is indicated by the green line, and stations by train icons

For the latest information on construction affecting UMD, visit the University's Purple Line webpage or the official project website.

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

Stay tuned - our next forum in the Envisioning the Purple Line series will be held later this fall. We are busy working to find a date right now and will send an invite in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for that announcement. 

Take a peek at our terrific supporters to date and please consider joining these folks as you are able. The benefits of sponsorship are listed on our website and donating is easy - just follow this link: I'd like to become a sponsor! 

Thank you for your support. Your feedback is always welcome - let us know where we can help!

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website Purple Line NOW.

Please feel free to share this bi-weekly newsletter with others who may appreciate information about the project. Thank you for your feedback to our newsletter - we hope you continue to find the information useful and proactive! As always, if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected]. If you find the information contained in our newsletter useful, please consider a donation to us (we are a not-for-profit organization). 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

Glenridge One Year Later

Next week – August 28th to be exact - marks the one-year anniversary of the groundbreaking for the Purple Line! So for this edition of our “Construction News to Know,” we’re returning to the site of last year’s ceremony to see what has changed since the purple shovels first went into the ground.

Articulated dump trucks being loaded with dirt to be redistributed on the site

As you may recall, the groundbreaking was held just outside of New Carrollton in the Glenridge community of Prince George’s County, at the site of the future maintenance and train storage facility for the Purple Line. The roughly twelve-acre site was formerly used by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission as a maintenance facility, but it was transferred to the state to facilitate the construction of the facilities that are needed to support the Purple Line’s operations.

After twelve months of construction, the site is virtually unrecognizable from a year ago. The maintenance sheds have been demolished, trees cleared, and some serious earth moving has been taking place. If you’ve driven by the property, it might just look like a big pile of dirt, but that will slowly begin to change. Construction crews are actively regrading the land to establish the building pad for the rail yard and the operations center. And construction on the operations building, which will serve as the primary control center for the Purple Line, will follow in the not too distant future. 

The aerial photos below show the scale of the construction site. The photo on the left, taken in April of 2016, shows the site prior to the groundbreaking, and the photo on the right, taken in April of this year, captures the area being disturbed.

Images courtesy of Google Earth

We can’t wait to see what changes will be present one year from now on the second anniversary of the groundbreaking.

Another Groundbreaking in Bethesda

August must be a popular month for groundbreakings because another important project with implications for the Purple Line broke ground this month. However, this one concerns a transformational private development at the Purple Line’s western terminus in Bethesda.

Even though construction began many, many months ago, the Carr Properties’ held a belated groundbreaking to celebrate the start of construction on their forthcoming office/residential development that will sit atop the future Bethesda Purple Line station. 

 
A rendering of the building that will be constructed at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue

The office building will go by the moniker of “The Wilson,” and the project’s two residential towers will look no further than the street they’re located on for their name: “The Elm." Combined, the project will deliver almost 1 million square feet of new development right above the Purple Line.

Governor Larry Hogan was among those present to commemorate the occasion. During his remarks, he noted the Purple Line’s role in the project coming to fruition. “I think that everyone knows that this would not have happened without the Purple Line and the investment in Metro,” said Governor Hogan from the podium. “This project will create jobs and drive our state’s economy.”

In addition to The Wilson and The Elm, Carr Properties is constructing the framework of two pieces of Purple Line infrastructure. The first is the Bethesda Purple Line station, which will be located below ground, parallel to Elm Street. Carr Properties is expected to deliver the “shell” of the Purple Line station to the state and Purple Line Transit Constructors by March of 2019, at which point work can begin on building out the station.

 
Construction crews are still working their way towards street level. The Purple Line station platform will be underground against the far wall in the picture

Carr Properties is also constructing the portion of the Capital Crescent Trail that will run beneath their building before daylighting into Woodmont Plaza and the planned public park that will be located there. The trail will run slightly south of the Purple Line tracks when it crosses underneath of Wisconsin Avenue and rejoin it as it travels through the Carr property. That's not all that cyclists have to look forward to with the new realigned trail. Carr is concurrently constructing space for a bicycle storage facility that will have parking for hundreds of bikes. The facility may even feature showers or changing rooms, but those details will be worked out down the line. 

Looking north towards the intersection of Wisconsin Ave. and Elm St.

Last but not least, the excavation of the Bethesda South Metro Entrance, which will have elevators that stop at the Purple Line platform, is also proceeding at the corner of Elm St. and Wisconsin Ave. Montgomery County expects the excavation to take about two years, and another two years will be spent pouring the concrete and installing the high-speed elevators that will carry passengers 120 feet below Wisconsin Avenue to the Metro platform.

Conceptual rendering of the plaza at corner of Wisconsin Ave and Elm St. The red box shows location of high-speed elevators that will take riders to Metro platform, and purple box is where riders will find an elevator, escalator and stairs down the Purple Line station

This Carr Properties' project is, perhaps, the clearest example yet of a private development that was only made possible by the Purple Line. But it’s also true that without The Wilson and The Elm, the Purple Line and the Capital Crescent Trail would not be nearly as functional or well-designed as would have otherwise been the case. Can you say win-win?!

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

Stay tuned - our next forum in the Envisioning the Purple Line series will be held in...College Park in October! The date and time will be announced soon, as will the terrific slate of speakers, so keep an eye out for that announcement. 

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to respond to our heartfelt appeal this month! We very much appreciate your quick and generous action on our behalf. Take a peek at our terrific supporters to date! Please consider joining these folks - the benefits of sponsorship are listed on our website - donating is easy - just follow this link: I'd like to become a sponsor! 

As always, if you have any questions, contact us at [email protected]. Again, thank you for your support. Your feedback is always welcome - let us know where we can help!

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website Purple Line NOW.

Please feel free to share this bi-weekly newsletter with others who may appreciate information about the project. Thank you for your feedback to our newsletter - we hope you continue to find the information useful and proactive! As always, if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected]. If you find the information contained in our newsletter useful, please consider a donation to us (we are a not-for-profit organization). 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

Roadwork on Kenilworth Avenue

Construction activity is heating up in multiple parts of Prince George’s County, but especially so in Riverdale Park!

Construction crews are currently in the process of removing the raised medians on Kenilworth Avenue between River Road and Riverdale Road to make way for the Purple Line tracks that will ultimately run down the center of the road. Once the medians have been removed, they will be paved over until the tracks are laid at a later date. New traffic medians will also be constructed at a later date.

Construction barrels sit atop former median at intersection of River Rd. & Kenilworth Ave.

If you live near or travel through the vicinity of Kenilworth Avenue, you know that the current conditions on Kenilworth Avenue are less than ideal for pedestrians. At present, there is no sidewalk on the east side of Kenilworth Avenue. But once construction is complete, there will be a continuous sidewalk on Kenilworth from River Road to Riverdale Road. The Purple Line will also close major gaps in the sidewalk network on the west side of the road to create a continuous walking path. And if that wasn’t enough, bike lanes will be constructed on both sides of the roadway. Needless to say, Kenilworth Avenue will look and function dramatically different several years from now. For detailed Kenilworth Avenue and Riverdale Road maps and more, see the Riverdale Park CAT materials.

Kenilworth Avenue looking south, with Rinaldi's Riverdale Bowl on the right

Long-term Lane Closure on Riverdale Road

The road work on Kenilworth Avenue isn’t the only construction activity occurring in Riverdale Park.

In the comings days, Purple Line Transit Constructors will close the right-hand lane of eastbound Riverdale Road for long-term construction between Kenilworth Avenue and Mustang Drive. The closure is necessitated by the construction of the Purple Line tracks on the south side of the road. When the Purple Line trains make the turn from Kenilworth Avenue to Riverdale Road, the tracks will transition to the south side of the road, separate from the vehicular travel lanes.

The Purple Line route is shown in purple, while the road closure is shown in orange

In a separate, but related project, the Maryland State Highway Administration will be installing almost 1,500 feet of new sidewalk on the south side of Riverdale Road from 58th Avenue, where the sidewalk currently ends, to Mustang Road. A sidewalk extension may seem trivial in a project the size of the Purple Line, but it will enable residents of East Riverdale to walk to the nearest Purple Line station at the intersection of Kenilworth and Riverdale, as well as the shops and other points-of-interests surrounding it.

Station Renderings of UMD Stations

Last week, the University of Maryland posted several conceptual renderings of what two of the campus’s Purple Line station stops could look like on their Purple Line FAQ page. While the images are from 2016*, we thought they were worth resharing since they may be new to some of you.

*Correction: our e-newsletter stated the renderings were new. However, the renderings were from 2016.

Campus Drive looking south east towards the Stamp Student Union

The university shared two images of the future Campus Center station, to be located near Cole Field House, and another of the planned East Campus station, which will be sited next to Ritchie Coliseum on Rossborough Lane.

Another angle of Campus Drive station with Cole Field House pictured in background

Rendering of  East Campus Station at intersection of Baltimore Ave. and Rossborough Lane; Ritchie Coliseum pictured on the right

There have been many artist renderings of the UMD stops over the years, but now that design is nearing completion, we are getting a new glimpse of how the stations will integrate with the existing built environment on campus. While these images offer the most detailed look yet at the station stops, the university has stressed that the designs are not final, and that many details are yet to be decided. In any case, it won't be long before the designs become reality!

For the route and placement of the four College Park stations and more, see the College Park and M Square CAT materials.

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

We want to take a moment to thank everyone who took the time to respond to our heartfelt appeal last week. Your contributions have a made a significant and positive impact on our budget already and we appreciate your quick and generous action on our behalf. We are updating our sponsor page daily - take a peek at our terrific supporters to date!

Here's the link in case you missed last week's letter from the officers of our Board of Directors. It's never too late to become a sponsor! Your name or your business name will be highlighted at all of the fora in the Envisioning the Purple Line series, as well on our website, for one year following your donation. We are appreciative of all donations, large and small. You may find more information about all of the benefits of sponsorship on our website. As always, if you have any questions, contact us at [email protected].

Once ground was broken on the Purple Line last year, our organization set an enhanced strategy going forward. Along with maintaining an informative and timely website, having an interactive social media presence, and making sure we are at as many Purple Line related community events, meetings, and hearings as possible, we are committed to the following endeavors to make sure the community remains informed and the project is the best it can be. We will continue to:

• Provide educational fora to communities along the route. These are free to all who attend and include presentations and panel discussions from transit experts, concessionaire, county elected officials - and a question and answer period. Press is invited and regularly attend. We are hard at work planning the next forum for later this fall. Stay tuned for location and dates!
• Connect people to solutions - through a host of platforms including our website, our bi-weekly newsletter, educational fora, email, and phone conversations. 
• Add context to construction woes through our bi-weekly newsletter by staying on top of construction issues and upcoming headaches to alert our community to ways to work around those issues when possible. We work with MTA and the concessionaire to stay abreast of construction issues and project demands.
• Meet with residents, Chambers of Commerce, federal, state, and local elected officials, business owners, developers, and the concessionaire to stay on top of issues that bubble up. Members of our Board and our team are fixtures at CAT meetings, community hearings, and all sorts of events that involve the project to gather information that we can then push out to you.

Again, thank you for your support. Your feedback is always welcome - let us know where we can help!

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website: Purple Line NOW.

July 25, 2018, Issue 4

Please feel free to share this bi-weekly newsletter with others who may appreciate information about the project. Thank you for your feedback to our newsletter - we hope you continue to find the information useful and proactive!

Along with the construction issues noted below, we have an exciting recap of our most recent forum in the Envisioning the Purple Line series, held earlier this week in Riverdale Park (scroll down for more information).

As always, if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected]. If you find the information contained in our newsletter useful, please consider a donation to us (we are a not-for-profit organization). 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

Demolition began earlier this month at the strip mall at East-West Highway and Rt. 29. The Purple Line will use part of the parcel previously occupied by the Fedex Kinkos and Rite Aid. As the line proceeds into the Silver Spring station, it will then cross over the MARC and Metro tracks and rise to a station on the far side of the Silver Spring Transit center. That cost saving adjustment meant that the acquisition and demolition of 1110 Bonifant St. would not be necessary. More information can be found in Bethesda Beat's article: Demolition of Former FedEx, Kinkos Buildings for Purple Line Construction in Downtown Silver Spring. The Starbucks and Einstein Bros Bagels will not be impacted by the project and will remain open.

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

On Monday, the fifth in Purple Line NOW’s Envisioning the Purple Line series was held in Riverdale Park, where audience members heard from, among others, the CEO of the construction consortium building the Purple Line. More than 70 people braved the stormy weather to learn about the latest goings-on with the project, but lucky for you, we've got a full recap of the event if you weren't able to make it.

Purple Line Transit Partners CEO, Fred Craig, kicked off the forum by describing his background and how he came to lead the project. Mr. Craig commented that he’s only been on the job for five months, but in that short time, several significant construction activities have gotten underway. Most notably, PLTP is actively working on digging the elevator shaft at the Bethesda station, the Lyttonsville Place bridge has been demolished, and the construction team has excavated 120 feet into the Plymouth Street tunnel in Silver Spring.

During his remarks, Mr. Craig related one anecdote to the audience to illustrate how seriously PLTP takes their responsibility to the community. A resident recently called the Purple Line construction hotline (240-424-5325) to report a pair of shovels and a pile of gravel that were inadvertently left in a roadway. Within twenty minutes of receiving the complaint, the shovels were removed from the roadway, and within 90 minutes, the gravel was cleaned up. On a project of this size, mistakes are bound to occur, but Mr. Craig said that he was proud of how quickly his crews responded to the complaint.

Mr. Craig discussed some of the other transit projects that he’s worked on, including the Cincinnati Streetcar, but he said the Purple Line was unique in that it was one of the first circumferential, or suburb-to-suburb, rail lines in the country. He also marveled at the amount of construction that the Purple Line has stimulated throughout the corridor before it has even begun service. He noted that there is more development around the Purple Line route and future station areas than there are square feet in the Pentagon. We’ll pause so you can Google that!

Dannielle Glaros, Chair of the Prince George's County Council was up next with an uplifting update from the perspective of her constituents and how the county is mitigating impacts to residents and businesses.

One of the most exciting aspects of the Purple Line is that it will "provide direct connections to WMATA's Green, Orange, and Red lines at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, and New Carrollton, along with connections to MARC, Amtrak, and local bus services." She was particularly excited about the doors that the Purple Line will open to county residents, especially young adults who are attending the University of Maryland, and who may not own a car.

Councilmember Glaros said that she has focused her attention on three issues: lifting up people economically along the corridor, support to small businesses and the preservation and expansion of affordable housing. 

Ms. Glaros provided a few updates on some exciting new developments soon to be a reality. Kaiser Permanente is scheduled to open a "new 176,000-square-foot administrative building in the New Carrollton Transit Center in Prince George’s County" later this year. Education technology firm 2U opened its new headquarters near the New Carrollton Metro last year and expects to employ more than 1,500 over the next few years.

Councilmember Glaros also touched on how Prince George’s County is staying on top of the project. She reported that there is a deep internal team working on the Purple Line at the county level, from planning staff to personnel in the Department of Public Works and Transportation, which are coordinating elements of the project with PLTP and the State. In addition, the County Council is helping to shape positive outcomes. She was gratified by recent actions taken by the Prince George’s County Council, as well as Montgomery County Council, to protect those who are most impacted along the corridor. She noted that both Montgomery and Prince George’s County provided funding in their fiscal year 2019 budgets for National Center for Smart Growth’s work to ensure equitable distribution of benefits, and that both counties provided varying levels of financial and technical support for small businesses. Councilmember Glaros hopes that both counties can build off of these efforts in future years and continue to provide on-going support to the impacted businesses.

Ms. Glaros emphasized the need for the community to stay involved and "actively pushing to make sure we are lifting up all community members." She encouraged those not yet involved to find ways to join in, saying "the successful completion of the project will require the continued involvement of residents." She urged those in attendance to sign up for the text updates offered by PLTP and to attend the meetings of the Community Advisory Teams.

Gerrit Knaap, Director of the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland, rounded out the panel by providing a status update on the Purple Line Corridor Coalition’s work to ensure that the social and economic opportunities created by the Purple Line are realized. 

As Dr. Knaap described it, the PLCC focuses on everything beyond the Purple Line tracks, like economic development, affordable housing, and minimizing impacts to small businesses. He explained that currently, the City of Baltimore and the I-270 corridor are widely considered to be two of leading economic engines of the state, but he predicted that the Purple Line corridor will also come to be thought of as an economic powerhouse of the state in the not too distant future. He noted that the Purple Line route crosses thriving areas such as Bethesda and College Park, but that it also has pockets of poverty. Through his slide presentation, Dr. Knaap showed how the Purple Line will stitch together some of the most economically advantaged and disadvantaged communities, which will consequently create enormous potential to provide equity across the corridor.

Up to this point, the PLCC has been working to establish baseline data that will aid them in assessing whether Montgomery and Prince George's counties are making progress towards the stated goals such as building a balanced labor market across the corridor, or if we are falling short of the ideals set forth in the Community Agreement. The organization intends to collect data throughout the construction period and revisit the data each year to determine if we are meeting our goals or if we need to renew our commitment to specific objectives.

Dr. Knaap told the audience that there is more riding on the success of Purple Line than just improved mobility between two counties. As the first light rail project in the capital region, the Purple Line will be scrutinized closely. He cautioned that if we don’t do it right, we might not see the Purple Line extended to Largo one day, as some attendees called for. But if it achieves its full potential, it could usher in additional light rail infrastructure in the Washington D.C. area.

Dr. Knaap concluded his remarks by announcing that last week the organization submitted a $2 million grant proposal to the Federal Transit Administration to expand and strengthen their efforts. If funded, the organization intends to use the grant money to bolster the preservation of small businesses, create a mobility action plan which will examine how the Purple Line can and should interface with other modes of transportation like ride sharing services and bus routes, and developing a plan to capture increased land values around the stations to fund other priorities of the community.

There was so much more that was discussed at the forum, and we’ll be sharing this information over the coming weeks in future editions of our bi-weekly newsletter. In the meantime, visit our website for the latest news on the project, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook while you’re at it!

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website: Purple Line NOW.

Become a Sponsor

Please take a moment, especially if you haven't given this year, to become a sponsor of our Envisioning the Purple Line series. Your name or your business name will be highlighted at all of the fora in the Envisioning the Purple Line series, as well on our website, for one year following your donation. Sponsoring is easy - and we are appreciative of all donations, large and small. Here's the link to get you started: Yes, I'll help Purple Line NOW!

Purple Line NOW
http://www.purplelinenow.com/

Thank you for your feedback to our newsletter - we hope you continue to find the information useful and proactive! Along with the construction issues noted below, we have an exciting event coming up on Monday, July 23 in Riverdale Park (scroll down for more information).

If you find the information contained in our newsletter useful, please consider a donation to us (we are a not-for-profit organization). 

As always, if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected]. 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

First Glimpse of the Plymouth Street Tunnel

This week, we are excited to bring you the first look at the Plymouth Street tunnel in Silver Spring! The construction team is excavating from the eastern portal on Arliss Street, next to the Giant Food parking lot, and moving west towards Wayne Avenue.

The Purple Line Transit Constructors (PLTC) team is using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) to excavate the 40-foot-deep tunnel for the Purple Line. PLTC crews are working 24-hours-a-day, six-days-a-week to excavate and build the tunnel using specialized equipment that would make a toddler giddy including the Liebherr 950 knuckle-boom excavator, Epiroc E2-C 2-boom hydraulic drill jumbo, Normet twin-boom man-lift and Epiroc Scooptram ST-14 for hauling material out of the tunnel.

As of last week, the excavation was approximately 30 feet into the tunnel. To give you some perspective on how much work remains to be done, the tunnel will be roughly 1,400 feet once complete!

Demolition of Mega Super Market

On July 6, crews began demolishing the former Mega Super Market at the intersection of University Boulevard and Piney Branch Road. If you’re old enough, you may also remember this building as the home of Fontana’s Bowlarama, a duckpin bowling alley, which closed its doors in 1994.

The property is being demolished in order to accommodate the future Piney Branch Road station stop. The station will be located in the median of University Boulevard, directly across from where the Mega Super Market stood.

Work Begins on Wayne Avenue

A few days before Independence Day, PLTC began clearing trees at the site of the Silver Spring International Middle School on Wayne Avenue in order to reconfigure and reconstruct the parking lots at the school.

In addition to the parking lot reconstruction, PLTC will be locating a traction power substation (TPSS) on the property which will provide power to the Purple Line trains. TPSSs are used to convert electrical power supplied by Pepco to a form suitable for the trains. The TPSSs will be located approximately every two miles along the Purple Line route. Interestingly enough, PLTC’s design allowed for fewer TPSSs than were originally planned by the state.

Once the trees are removed, crews will begin excavating and grading the middle parking lot area at the school. The parking lots are expected to reopen before students return to school in the fall, and construction will resume in the summer of 2019.

Want More Construction News?

As you know, Purple Line NOW is a nonprofit advocacy organization - we are not the entity constructing the project (that would be the Purple Line Transit Partners), though we do work closely with them to keep abreast of the latest news. Our mission is to help get answers for you as questions bubble up. Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll connect you with the folks who can give you the information you need. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, you should sign up for Purple Line construction updates from MTA - you'll receive timely and location specific information for your residence or place of work.

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

Have You Reserved Your Seat for the Next Purple Line NOW Forum?

The next forum is at the Park and Planning Building in Riverdale Park on Monday, July 23, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public and media, but you'll need to reserve your seat as space is limited to the first 100 folks. We are thrilled that the new CEO of the Purple Line Transit Partners, Fred Craig, will join us as a speaker, along with Prince George's County Council Chair, Dannielle Glaros, and Director of the Purple Line Corridor Coalition, Gerrit Knaap. 

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Become a Sponsor

Please take a moment, especially if you haven't given this year, to become a sponsor of our Envisioning the Purple Line series. Your name or your business name will be highlighted at all of the fora in the Envisioning the Purple Line series, as well on our website, for one year following your donation. Sponsoring is easy - and we are appreciative of all donations, large and small. Here's the link to get you started: Yes, I'll help Purple Line NOW!

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website: Purple Line NOW.

After yesterday's Maryland primary, much of the focus of the news these past few weeks has been on the candidates, campaigns, and the results. We know there's a lot to read today for those tracking local news, so we will focus mainly on construction, which has been making strides since our first update.

We have been glad to hear back from our readers, particularly those nearby construction areas, and will keep working to connect community members with existing information when available or government or concessionaire officials when helpful. As ever, if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected]. 

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

Manchester Place Station, Today and Tomorrow

Excavation is proceeding for the three-tenths of a mile Plymouth Street tunnel. The tunnel, necessary because of the significant hills in the area, will also serve as the location of the Manchester Place Station, allowing easy access to the Purple Line for the wide range of housing nearby.

The picture above shows the present dig site while the artist rendering below shows the planned station once the line has begun operations in 2022.

For more artist renderings, maps, and efforts to minimize disruption, see this focused briefing from 2017, and for the bigger picture see the Community Advisory Team presentation notes for Long Branch.

Work to Replace Lyttonsville Place Bridge has Begun

The 6-month closure of Lyttonsville bridge began on June 18th. As pictures show, demolition work is already underway and the concessionaire has announced that the demolition work will continue into the weekend this Saturday, June 30 from 9 am-5 pm.

Replacing the bridge is necessary to allow for the construction of the Lyttonsville Purple Line station and to allow for trains and the Capital Crescent Trail, as well as improving pedestrian access. For more pictures, see Dave Dildine's coverage at WTOP and for details about next steps and the final result, see the Community Advisory Team for Woodside/Lyttonsville.

During the construction of the replacement bridge, drivers are encouraged to use the detour pictured below to get around the closure.

Want More Construction News?

As you know, Purple Line NOW is a nonprofit advocacy organization - we are not the entity constructing the project (that would be the Purple Line Transit Partners), though we do work closely with them to keep abreast of the latest news. Our mission is to help get answers for you as questions bubble up. Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll connect you with the folks who can give you the information you need. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, you should sign up for Purple Line construction updates from MTA - you'll receive timely and location specific information for your residence or place of work.

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

Next Envisioning the Purple Line Forum Announced!

The next forum is at the Park and Planning Building in Riverdale Park on Monday, July 23, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Watch your email for a special invitation coming soon - the event is free and open to the public, but you'll need to reserve your seat as space is limited to the first 100 folks. We are thrilled that the new CEO of the Purple Line Transit Partners, Fred Craig, will join us as a speaker along with Prince George's County Council Chair, Dannielle Glaros, and Director of the Purple Line Corridor Coalition, Gerrit Knaap. We are working on the full slate of speakers right now and will announce them soon, but do put the date on your calendar now!

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website: Purple Line NOW.

Become a Sponsor

Please take a moment, especially if you haven't given this year, to become a sponsor of our Envisioning the Purple Line series. Your name or your business name will be highlighted at all of the fora in the Envisioning the Purple Line series this year, as well on our website. Sponsoring is easy - and we are appreciative of all donations, large and small. Here's the link to get you started: Yes, I'll help Purple Line NOW!

Purple Line NOW News | June 13, 2018

Welcome to the Debut of the Purple Line NOW Bi-weekly Newsletter!

We’re fast approaching the 1-year anniversary of the groundbreaking of the Purple Line and you may have noticed that construction activity is beginning to pick up across the corridor. The first year of construction has largely consisted of preparatory work such as tree clearing, utility relocation, staging areas, and demolition, but you’ll begin to see more visible signs of progress and changes to the built environment starting this month.

For that reason, we’ve decided to launch a new bi-weekly newsletter to keep the community up-to-date on the latest construction news and how it will impact getting around town, as well as important events, and general Purple Line information. Going forward, you can expect a new edition of this newsletter in your inbox every other Wednesday, provided, of course, that there is news to report.

We hope you enjoy this new feature, and if you have any feedback on how we can improve the newsletter, drop us a line at [email protected].

CONSTRUCTION NEWS TO KNOW

6-Month Closure of Lyttonsville Place Bridge

Beginning on Monday, June 18, the Lyttonsville Place bridge in Silver Spring will be closed for 6 months so the project team can construct a new and longer bridge to enable Purple Line trains and the Capital Crescent Trail to run beneath it. The new bridge will have one through lane in each direction for automobiles, as well as drop off lanes on either side of the bridge to facilitate the dropping off of passengers at the Purple Line Station. The new bridge will also include larger sidewalks for pedestrians on both sides of the bridge.

During the construction of the replacement bridge, drivers are encouraged to use the detour pictured below to get around the closure.

Excavation Work for Plymouth Street Tunnel Begins

Last Wednesday, Purple Line Transit Partners began excavation work on the Plymouth Street tunnel, which will connect Wayne Avenue to the Long Branch area of Silver Spring and house the Manchester Place station. The work will, at times, require 24-hour shifts, Monday-Friday because of the nature of mining work and to minimize noise and traffic impacts to the community; however, underground work does tend to be quieter so it is not anticipated that noise will be an issue.

The Plymouth Street tunnel is the only new tunnel being constructed for the Purple Line. The tunnel, while not particularly long at three-tenths of a mile, is one of the more challenging aspects of the Purple Line project because of the complexity of the geology, and which will likely require delicate blasting operations due to its proximity to several existing residential structures. The construction team will be implementing a number of measures to avoid causing any damage to residents’ homes.

Construction Commences at University of Maryland

Beginning on or about June 11, construction crews will begin relocating utilities under select campus roadways and sidewalks, installing and upgrading drainage systems, and removing trees and other plantings at the University of Maryland. Faculty, students and visitors will begin to see changes to vehicular traffic patterns as a result of the work.

As part of the construction on campus, the iconic M Circle will be relocated to a spot about 50 yards away from its current location. The University of Maryland recently published a video illustrating what the circle will look like in its new location.  

As an aside, the College also announced that within one year of the Purple Line’s opening, it is their goal to have more trees on campus than they have today. Pretty cool, huh? This is just another ancillary benefit of the Purple Line!

Want More Construction News?

As you know, Purple Line NOW is a nonprofit advocacy organization - we are not the entity constructing the project (that would be the Purple Line Transit Partners), though we do work closely with them to keep abreast of the latest news. Our mission is to help get answers for you as questions bubble up. Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll connect you with the folks who can give you the information you need. In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, you should sign up for Purple Line construction updates from MTA - you'll receive timely and location specific information for your residence or place of work.

PURPLE LINE NOW NEWS AND EVENTS

Next Envisioning the Purple Line Forum Announced!

You are the first to know! The next forum will be at the Park and Planning Building in Riverdale Park on Monday, July 23, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Watch your email for a special invitation coming soon - the event is free and open to the public, but you'll need to reserve your seat as space is limited to the first 100 folks. We are thrilled that the new CEO of the Purple Line Transit Partners, Fred Craig, will join us as a speaker along with Prince George's County Council Chair, Dannielle Glaros. We are working on the full slate of speakers right now and will announce them soon, but do put the date on your calendar now!

PURPLE LINE NOW ACTION

Get Connected!

Make sure you are signed up for timely alerts from Purple Line NOW via our Twitter and Facebook pages, and at our website: Purple Line NOW.

Become a Sponsor

Please take a moment, especially if you haven't given this year, to become a sponsor of our Envisioning the Purple Line series. Your name or your business name will be highlighted at all of the fora in the Envisioning the Purple Line series this year, as well on our website. Sponsoring is easy - and we are appreciative of all donations, large and small. Here's the link to get you started: Yes, I'll help Purple Line NOW!