Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Purple Line topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Purple Line: project 75% complete, dynamic testing planned and summer closures to support track installation
Summary
County and Purple Line partners said the Purple Line project is roughly 75% complete, with dynamic testing of light rail vehicles expected in spring and a targeted winter 2027 opening; presenters outlined station, track and trail milestones and answered council questions about pedestrian safety, horn policy and summer closures.
Montgomery County’s Transportation & Environment Committee heard a multi‑agency Purple Line progress update covering construction milestones, community impacts, operations staffing and outreach.
An MTA presenter introduced the project team and said the Purple Line is transitioning from heavy civil work to systems and track installation. "Last year was the year of momentum. This year is the year of transformation," the presenter said, noting visible construction such as catenary poles and rail. The team reported the overall project is "more than 75% complete," with 19 of 21 stations under construction and a substantial portion of sidewalks installed.
Doran Basso, CEO of Purple Line Transit Partners, said eight of 28 light rail vehicles are already in Maryland and that dynamic testing on a test track in Prince George’s County will begin in the spring. "We will probably get all of them here this year is the plan," Basso said about vehicle delivery, adding that LRVs have over 400 passenger capacity and about 80 seats.
Ugo Funtaraj, representing Maryland Transit Solutions (design‑builder), outlined station and bridge work: arch excavation and bench work nearing completion at multiple sites, finalizing the CCT bridge truss over Rock Creek, and finishing elevator and escalator elements at Connecticut Avenue and other stations. The team said embedded track across intersections is the most time‑consuming, that track installation is planned in phases through the summer and fall, and that some complex curved track work at Fenton and Wayne will require an approximately two‑month closure this summer timed to school breaks.
Luis Rivera of Purple Line Transit Operators said the operator and maintenance workforce is being trained for dynamic testing and subsequent operations, and that two maintenance facilities (one in Prince George’s County and one near Lyttonsville) will handle light and heavy maintenance.
Council members raised neighborhood concerns: a mayoral complaint from Chevy Chase about trains sounding horns every seven to ten minutes; questions about flagger schedules, pedestrian crossing signage near Bonifant and access to the library at Manchester/Wayne; and requests for more frequent communication with local businesses. Presenters said horns described in the complaint would be governed by operations policy set by MDOT/MTA after the system opens and that no such horn pattern is being used during construction. They also described weekly site walkthroughs, refreshed striping, flaggers, temporary wooden pedestrian platforms at some crossings and expanded outreach (printed flyers in English and Spanish, YouTube, and a revamped interactive website).
The presenters also noted timelines for public facilities: the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) opening is projected for spring 2026 and the Purple Line opening remains targeted for winter 2027, subject to testing, certification and system integration.
What happens next: dynamic testing and certification work in 2025, continued station and embedded track installation through 2025, targeted trail opening in spring 2026 and an anticipated Purple Line revenue opening in winter 2027. Council and staff agreed to follow up with specific details (flagger schedules, library access plans and pavement/striping timing) and to return for further updates during the joint economic development session.
