LANGLEY PARK, Md. — Complaints about torn up roads, unsafe sidewalks and struggling businesses have sharpened scrutiny on the Purple Line rail construction project in the Maryland suburbs in recent weeks.
The Purple Line is a nearly 17-mile surface rail transit project linking Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George's County. The project is five years behind its original completion date.
Now, the frustration is boiling over and some local leaders are trying to ratchet up the pressure to resolve complaints faster.
"There is a lot of frustration with this project," said Montgomery County Council President Evan Glass Wednesday. "It's taken too long to complete and it's way over budget. So not only do we have to get this project done as quickly as possible, but all the construction problems that are associated with it need to be fixed as quickly as possible."
Glass and his council colleagues pressed Purple Line construction managers during a Sept. 11 work session of the Council's Transportation and Environment Committee on the project schedule. The current projected completion date is the spring of 2027. Project Manager Ray Riggs II said the team is "pretty confident" in the projected date, but he said unforeseen problems may have to be dealt with.
Drivers, pedestrians and business owners in Prince George's County complained to WUSA9 that the construction has snarled traffic, caused accidents and kept customers away.
According to a written statement from Purple Line Communications Director Kathryn Lamb, the Maryland State Highway Administration began roadway repair efforts on University Boulevard (MD 193) in late summer of of this year. However, "conflicting utility relocation schedules and planned traffic shifts" paused some repair work.
"Roadwork repairs will begin again in late fall 2023 between Kenilworth Avenue (MD 201) and Veterans Parkway (MD 410)," Lamb wrote. "All teams working on the Purple Line recognize that construction and related traffic shifts impact communities and are working hard to complete work as soon as possible, with safety as the number one priority."
The Purple Line Project is now more than 57% complete. Lamb said the construction is progressing along the entire alignment from New Carrollton to Bethesda at 60 active construction sites with approximately 1,100 workers.
