After its first contractor quit more than a year ago, Maryland’s Purple Line project will resume construction with a new team and a projected opening date of 2026.

The Washington region’s “first direct suburb-to-suburb rail line,” the Purple Line, will resume construction after more than a year of delays, reports Katherine Shaver in The Washington Post. “The Maryland Transit Administration has continued overseeing some work, such as moving utility lines. However, a team led by the American subsidiaries of Spanish firms Dragados and OHL will complete most of it.”
“Reviving a megaproject that has lain mostly dormant since September 2020 is no small feat. It requires bringing in staff and equipment from around the country to rev up 16 miles of abandoned construction site,” writes Shaver. “A good portion of the underground work has been done. The operations and maintenance facility in Glenridge [in Prince George’s County] has been constructed,” said Terry Gohde, project manager for Maryland Transit Solutions, in an interview. Other critical components of the projects are nearing completion. Doran Bosso, CEO of Purple Line Transit Partners, pointed out that production on the line’s train cars continued unabated. “We have 10 or 12 vehicles that could be shipped to site today if we had the track and other facilities built.”
Gohde said “Opening date is October 2026. But the public will get a look at the [light-rail] vehicles running on track work [during the testing phase] about a year before that, in fall 2025.”
FULL STORY: Maryland Purple Line construction will resume in August, officials say

The California High-Speed Rail Project Illustrates America’s Transit Issues
Slow progress and a bloated budget have plagued the High-Speed Rail project linking San Francisco to Los Angeles, exposing deeper issues with American transit projects.

Density and Driving: A Second Look
A common argument against more compact housing is that increased population density will only reduce vehicle miles traveled at moderate levels of density, as opposed to very low-density and very high-density areas. But this might not be so.

What Role Does Health Care Play in Community Development?
Cities are economically diverse and require accessible health care systems, but this can be challenging to implement. Urban developers are working alongside health professionals to create affordable care for city residents.

Boise’s New Planning Director Warns Against 'Dysfunctional Highways'
On the heels of his stint as Atlanta’s planning director, Tim Keane says Boise should avoid following in the path of American cities that have let highway expansion and sprawl go unchecked for decades.

Voters Reject Atlanta-Area Cityhood Proposals
After local activists whipped up concerns about forced density to promote cityhood for three wealthy Atlanta suburbs, residents voted to remain in unincorporated Cobb County.

Want to Drive a Big Pickup Truck in D.C.? It’s About to Get (Even More) Expensive
D.C. is considering a $500 vehicle license fee for private vehicles over 6,000 pounds.
Environmental Science Associates
Piedmont Environmental Council
City of Oakland, California
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
City of Redwood City
City of Hot Springs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.