The Purple Line Is More Than 80 Percent Complete

The Purple Line is now more than 80 percent complete.

The 16-mile light rail line, which will run through parts of Riverdale Park and College Park, has faced lawsuits, work delays, and cost overruns since construction started in 2017.

But officials recently told Bethesda magazine that it’s still on track for a 2027 opening, with over 54 percent of rail lines installed and 80 percent of the work completed.

Testing of the light rail cars began in March on Veterans Parkway. In the coming months, operators will begin testing the vehicles on different road crossings near New Carrollton.

The Maryland Department of Transportation recently awarded $500,000 in grants to small businesses that the construction of the Purple Line has hurt. More grants will be awarded in October.