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Purple Line Construction: 135 Feet Below Ground and Still Blasting

Maryland Transit Solutions led MCM 135 feet below downtown Bethesda where its crews are making way for six elevators, the trains and a mezzanine where riders will transfer between the Red and Purple Lines.

Currently, a crew of about 30 people is installing a sprung arch concrete form that will be used to form the concrete structure that will go atop the underground work. Already completed is the blasting that opened the ground 130 feet, with about 35 feet more to go.

Work also is being done for a platform wall, electrical and station communication systems installation and preparation to install the elevators.

Blasting at the station, which is located between Wisconsin Avenue and Woodmont Plaza, will resume soon so that the connection to reach WMATA’s small tunnel structure can resume.

WMATA will then complete the final work between the tunnels.

Work also is being done at and between the other 20 station stops on the 16.2-mile light rail that will run from Bethesda, the western terminus, through to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County.

The Purple Line has weathered numerous delays, costs overruns and a change in contractors.

Last week, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration and Purple Line Transit Partners announced they are requesting approval from the Maryland Board of Public Works to modify the Public-Private Partnership agreement’s deadline back to the winter of 2027.

“Completion of the Purple Line remains a critical transit priority for the region,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “Despite significant achievements in the last year, including reaching project completion of more than 65%, an additional delay is necessary at this time due to the complex nature of the project. We know this delay is frustrating to many, but the entire Purple Line team remains focused on completing the project as quickly and safely as possible.”

The Maryland Transit Administration will provide up to $425 million in compensation to Purple Line Transit Partners over the next five years once the first light rail cars are delivered and completion of major construction work at the University College Park campus so that the Capital Crescent Trail reopens.

Construction work currently is being done at 13 of the 21 stations, and almost 17,000 linear feet of track has been laid.

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