Maryland Purple Line Light Rail Project Proceeds with Alternative Analysis and DEIS

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) (Baltimore, Maryland) is proceeding with alternative analysis and a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed $2.5 billion Purple Line light rail project in Maryland. Formerly named the Bi-County Transitway project to reflect the fact that the line would extend through two counties, the project was renamed the Purple Line by state Secretary of Transportation John Porcari in spring 2007.

The Baltimore offices of both Parsons Brinkerhoff (New York, New York) and Jacobs Engineering Group Incorporated (NYSE:JEC) (Pasadena, California) have been acting as consultants on the massive undertaking and assisting the MTA with the early developmental stages of the project, including alternative analysis, environmental permitting, preliminary design and planning.

The Purple Line project will involve the construction of a 16-mile light rail line from the Bethesda, Maryland, rail station to a station in New Carrollton. The project will also include the construction of at least 20 rail stations, as well as a maintenance facility and a rail car storage yard. The alternative analysis and DEIS portions of the project are scheduled to be completed in May 2008. Once the MTA receives the notice to proceed, a design and engineering firm will be selected. That selection is expected to take place in fall 2008.

Design and preliminary engineering should be completed in late 2009 with final design and engineering to follow by the end of 2010. The selection of a construction management firm or a general contractor will occur in the early summer of 2011 and construction should begin in the summer of 2012. If current schedules are maintained, the new light rail line will be operational by 2015.

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