The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) has announced progress on the Purple Line project in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, with construction now 80 percent complete. The rail installation has reached 54 percent completion, and work on the overhead catenary system (OCS) is well underway.
In Prince George’s County, recent updates include the installation of handrails along the walkway at the Riverdale Park-Kenilworth Station. Along Ellin Road, a train interlocking system is in place, enabling Purple Line trains to switch between tracks. In June, an art installation in the form of a twisting column was added at the Riverdale North-UMD Station, designed to mimic the propellers of early planes flown at the nearby airport. Additionally, Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) will soon begin testing on a section of embedded track near New Carrollton along Ellin Road.
In Montgomery County, construction continues at the Lyttonsville Maintenance Facility, which will provide technicians access to the underside of LRVs for maintenance and include a storage yard for LRVs at the western end of the alignment. Crews are also constructing a canopy structure at the Connecticut Avenue Station, which will cover the stairs leading to the platform. West of Silver Spring, near the Talbot Avenue Bridge, ballast track and foundations for overhead catenary poles are now in place.