Long-awaited Purple Line set for groundbreaking next week

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include more details about the groundbreaking ceremony next week from Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s office.

WASHINGTON — Maryland plans a groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited Purple Line next week.

Gov. Larry Hogan and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao will participate in a ceremonial signing of a federal funding agreement and groundbreaking Monday morning in Hyattsville, the governor’s office said in an announcement Thursday afternoon

The 16-mile, 21-stop state light rail project connecting New Carrollton, College Park, Langley Park, Silver Spring and Bethesda had been held up by a court ruling until a federal appeals court stepped in last month.

As the appeal moves forward, preparations for construction picked back up. The project is now allowed to get about $900 million in federal funding through an agreement that had originally been expected to be signed last summer before the lower court decision.

According to the contract for the project, the first section of the line to be completed for testing purposes is due to be from near the Glenridge Shopping Center at the intersection of MD 410 and MD 450 to the New Carrollton Metro.

The Purple Line and the completed trails alongside the route are scheduled to open by 2022.

It is being built and operated by a private contractor for the state, but will have four stations where riders can transfer to or from Metrorail.