Maryland Gov. O'Malley announces Purple Line funding, public-private partnership

Yesterday, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announced $650 million for transportation projects in Montgomery County and $400 million for the $2.2 billion Purple Line project.

The state will complete the Purple Line, a proposed 16-mile light-rail line from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carollton in Prince George's County, through a public-private partnership, according to a press release issued by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

The Purple Line will represent the state's first public-private partnership for a transit project under its new public-private partnership law, state officials said. The $400 million will help fund construction, with the remainder to be covered by a combination of federal grants, state and local contributions, and private investments.

"By working with the private sector to deliver the Purple Line, we're making an investment to support our growing economy, create thousands of jobs and expand opportunities in our communities," said Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown.

The $650 million for key projects for Montgomery County includes $280 million to complete right-of-way acquisition and final design for the Maryland National Capital Purple Line — which, when combined with the $400 million investment for Purple Line construction, will result in a total of $680 million for the Purple Line project, state officials said.