Maryland has chosen a new contractor who is slated to resume construction of the Purple Line by next spring.
The state Department of Transportation chose Maryland Transit Solutions, a partnership of two of the world’s largest heavy-construction firms, to finish the $2.2 billion project after the previous contractor backed out.
The delays likely mean the project won’t be finished until 2025, about three years behind schedule. But resuming construction means roads like Campus Drive in College Park that have had lanes cordoned off may be back to normal sooner than later.
Costs may also go higher on the project, as labor and parts have both gone up since construction was halted in late 2020.
Mass transit projects in the United States often go over budget and past deadlines due to the various legal challenges associated with them.
In the Purple Line’s case, opposition from Chevy Chase residents to the Purple Line passing through their area and the state’s decision to cut construction costs by using a public-private partnership are the main causes for the problems.
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