(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, John Sarbanes, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (D-Md.) today announced the award of $120,000,000 for Maryland’s Purple Line project through the U.S. Department of Transportation Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants. Administered through the Maryland Department of Transportation, this award provides significant funding for a project that the lawmakers have long championed. In 2017, the lawmakers applauded the commitment of full funding for the project and the initial award of $125 million through DOT.

“This new federal funding brings us one step closer to making the Purple Line a reality and delivering a safe, reliable, and efficient mode of transportation for Maryland commuters – including thousands of federal employees,” said the lawmakers. “As we continue to meet the federal commitment to the Purple Line, we will also ensure there is strong oversight of the project and that the final rail line respects the concerns of local communities along the route.”

The Purple Line, a 16.2-mile light rail system with 21 stations, will connect Montgomery County to Prince George’s County and is expected to take approximately 19,000 cars off the road each day. Along the way, it will connect to three Metrorail lines, all three MARC Commuter rail lines, and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor line. Nearly half of the riders on the new Purple Line are expected to connect to Metrorail and MARC.  The project will generate 6,300 construction jobs, as well as 27,000 permanent jobs.

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