Members of the Maryland Congressional Delegation have let Gov. Larry Hogan know their concerns regarding the Purple Line Project, a public transit project mired in construction delays and legal disputes.
In a letter to Hogan and Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary Greg Slater, the Democratic delegation, including U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, as well as Reps. Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone expressed concern for the disruptions the project was causing Maryland businesses and communities.
The delegation asked Hogan to resolve the project’s ongoing issues, finish construction, and answer several questions surrounding the project.
“We are writing today to express our deep concern about the future of the Purple Line project. There have been very troubling developments since we were briefed by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary Greg Slater in July. Now that it is clear that the Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) intend to leave the project and began to demobilize and secure the construction sites prior to the current forbearance agreement, our concerns about the fate of the project have grown exponentially,” the lawmakers wrote.
Intended to save taxpayers money while improving transit options and addressing commuting needs, the Purple Line Project is a 16-mile light rail line extending from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County. The rail line is designed to provide a direct connection to the other Metrorail lines in the area, as well as connect riders to Maryland Area Regional Commuter trains, Amtrak, and local bus services.
“As you know, the Maryland Congressional Delegation fought hard in the early 2000s to have this project designated as a New Start by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the Capital Investment Grant Program and has since led the effort to obtain the Full Funding Grant Agreement that allowed this project to move forward. That included obtaining $900 million in federal funding. In light of the substantial commitment of federal resources and time to this project, we are concerned that the current situation could negatively impact Maryland’s working relationship with FTA and harm Maryland’s ability to access future federal transportation funds,” the delegation wrote.
The delegation also asked the governor to respond with how he intends for his administration to move forward as MDOT takes ownership of the project from the PLTP.