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5/11/2026
Maryland elected leaders and state transportation officials gathered May 7 at a ceremony to mark the installation of the final rail segment of the future Purple Line.
To be operated by the Maryland Department of Transportation-Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT-MTA), the 16.2-mile Purple Line will feature 21 stations and extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County. The line is nearly 90% completed.
The ceremony at the line’s 16th Street-Woodside Station hailed the completion of 193,100 feet of track for the light-rail route, which will enable the next stage of vehicle and systems integration testing to start.
“Placement of the last rail represents more than construction progress, this milestone represents our commitment to expanding mobility so that more people can access jobs, education, essential services and opportunity,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold in a press release.
MDOT-MTA plans to complete construction by the end of 2026, including station structural elements, landscaping, and train and traffic signal controls. The line is expected to open in late 2027.