Maryland’s Purple Line Work Disrupts Downtown Traffic
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
Maryland DOT
The partial closure of the The Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland Transit Administration Silver Spring Transit Center in mid-January gave commuters a sense of the anticipated disruptions that will result from renewed Purple Line work, a local news outlet reported.
According to state transportation officials, the most disruptive work on the Silver Spring light-rail project is still yet to come. The county’s Department of Transportation also recently announced that the second level of the Transit Center would be reduced to a single lane during Monday through Friday service from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The restriction went into effect on Jan. 9.
“This lane closure is anticipated to impact pedestrian access as well, due to the need for construction flag persons to cross,” a news release said. A local news report noted that nearby residents have faced road closures and traffic impacts along the route in downtown Silver Spring.
As RT&S recently reported, the Purple Line project is facing mounting delays due to factors including a recent need to relocate utility lines, an original contractor quitting work on the project and delay-related cost overruns, among others.
Work along the Purple Line route in Long Branch will begin around Feb. 6, according to a press release. Stormwater drainage, curb, and roadway reconstruction will take place on Arliss Street between Flower Avenue and Piney Branch Road. The work is expected to last for about a year and take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and weekends as needed, a local news report said.
