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  • MTA Purple Line Bethesda - New Carrollton Light Rail

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

Moderators: mtuandrew, therock, Robert Paniagua

 #1448564  by JeffersonLeeEng
 
https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2017/10/gov ... air-evans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
WASHINGTON — A very public feud between Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and the head of the Metro board escalated Wednesday as Hogan said he may lobby for the board to be disbanded.

Hogan was responding to Jack Evans, the board chairman, who has threatened to use his authority to halt a land transfer related to the Purple Line light rail project unless Maryland agrees to a plan he favors to restructure the board.
 #1493859  by drwho9437
 
I wonder how bad the problems are going to be on the purple line structures. It seems like most of the projects undertaken recently in the area have had concrete or other problems. Is the MTA any better at oversight? Is Fluor better than Clark, Foulger-Pratt, Bechtel?

Purple line construction seems to be moving with more urgency due to the P3 formula (at least to me) but that also might increase cost saving, time saving pressures that could lead to more flaws. I don't know how good the oversight is. Seems this phase of these projects rarely has the flaw stories as they are mostly preping the right of way and relocating utilities still.
 #1494039  by Sand Box John
 
@ drwho9437

I will repeat what I said in another forum to a similar comment . . .

"My friend this kind of excrement happens with all types of projects be they civil or commercial, government funned or commercially funned."
 #1529088  by drwho9437
 
There has been a lot of physical work done in the last year on the purple line.

Probably the most complex structure is at Bethesda station
https://purplelinemd.com/media/com_twoj ... PPp002.jpg

In the long Branch Section the tunnel is being finished
https://www.purplelinemd.com/media/com_ ... 1p0050.jpg

They have rebuilt the road bridge in Lyttonsville
https://www.purplelinemd.com/media/com_ ... 05-min.jpg

There is a lot of work on 193 relocating utilities. Farther to the east the yard work has started and some track has been laid. Most of the purple line is at grade but there is an aerial section in Riverdale.

It looks like that has made some progress also:
https://www.purplelinemd.com/media/com_ ... G_2063.jpg

Silver Spring Station's concrete work is also proceeding:
https://imgur.com/a/jMYZ0nx
 #1529099  by farecard
 
They have rebuilt the road bridge in Lyttonsville
https://www.purplelinemd.com/media/com_ ... 05-min.jpg
Trying to place where that image was taken from.
Is that the Talbot Rd bridge? I don't see the tower on Google Maps.
There is a lot of work on 193 relocating utilities. Farther to the east the yard work has started and some track has been laid. Most of the purple line is at grade but there is an aerial section in Riverdale.
Lots of utility work on Wayne Ave as well
 #1529124  by farecard
 
Lyttonsville Pl. It connects Lyttonsville Rd to Bookside. The photo is from the CCT or Purple Line right of way near where one of the yards will be.
Thanks, that makes more sense.

What's to become of the Talbot Bridge? Will it be rebuilt at some point?
 #1529165  by drwho9437
 
I believe they were required to preserve the original span because of historical feelings about it (although I don't think it had any status as a landmark). The bridge was not considered safe anymore and it also will be rebuilt. I haven't been in North Woodside in some time. The yard in Lyttonsville will come on line second and there should be an initial operating segment on the East end containing the Riverdale yard. If I had to predict on no information but just what the finished alignment should be I would guess the initial segment they would turn on would run to College Park Metro to New Carlonton. That said I'd expect the whole line to look finished before that segment comes online, they might stage the traction and finishing work more to lower to workforce size. They are arguing about money to meet schedule still. Aug 18, 2022 is still the official opening of at least part of the project. Given how the Silver Line has looked I would expect the stations to look complete about a year before that (though heavy and light rail are different of course, it still makes sense to have the stations done before you lay the rail inside them). The grading and prep work for that is less easy to spot. You never know what relocations are still underground. They had a dispute with WSSC at one point but given that was public entity they probably found a solution that all sides can accept. I still feel that Bethesda and perhaps Silver Spring have the most scope for delays going forward as those stations have to more complex interconnections. Though the Silver Spring station could operate without the project finishing in terms of ramps and bridges to the Red Line. I perhaps benefit the most just from them finishing the CCT, though they could elect to do that faster than the rest of the project I don't think it will beat it by much. Perhaps while they are commissioning and testing the system it will open so maybe Spring 2022 at best... (I don't see how it runs through Bethesda station again until that project is basically done.
 #1530211  by Sand Box John
 
drwho9437
My guess of the initial operating segment is confirmed:

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/ ... ent--59395


There have been a number of media stories going back to November reporting both officially and on background that the Purple line would open in two phases and that the first phase would be on the Prince George's County end.

And it only makes sense, as most of the time consuming work is on the west end.
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