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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has given the green light for the Purple Line to enter the preliminary engineering phase, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced in a press release.

The Purple Line is a proposed 16-mile, east-west light-rail line that would run between Bethesda and New Carrollton, Md., and connect to four branches of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s system.

The FTA approval means that work on the project now can advance to preparation of more detailed plans, schedules and cost estimates, as well as completion of environmental studies, the press release states.

The approval “will help us continue to create jobs and expand rapid and reliable transportation in the Washington [D.C.] suburban region,” O’Malley said. “The Purple Line will connect citizens to jobs and economic opportunities throughout the region.”