| Project Detail |
Project Type: Rail, Metro & Mass Transit | Procurement Type: P3
State: Maryland | Status: Ongoing
Overview:
Providing a direct connection to several major rail lines and communities in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area, the Purple Line is a 16-mile light rail line that will extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County.
Twenty-one stations will be located along the light rail route.
Technical Details:
The line will operate light rail vehicles in dedicated or exclusive lanes, allowing for fast, reliable transit operations. Twenty-one stations are planned along the route, creating new connections between communities and neighborhoods. The light rail vehicles are modern streetcars, powered by overhead electrical wires.
Benefits/Positive Aspects to Community:
Daily ridership on the Purple Line is projected to reach 74,000 by 2040. This means an estimated 17,000 cars will be removed from the highly congested roads of the Washington, D.C. metro road network.
Benefits for the community also include neighborhood stations that are convenient for pedestrians. The light rail vehicles will operate quietly and will have low floors that enable passengers to board without climbing steps.
The Purple Line construction project also will add to the economy. More than 6,300 jobs will be created during the construction project; 22% of these jobs are planned to be Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE).
Existing businesses will also benefit because of the improved transportation. The new Purple Line will improve mobility toward main commercial centers as well as the University of Maryland, contributing to the development of the area. |
