USA: Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced on June 15 that the Purple Line light rail project in the northern suburbs of Washington DC is to receive an $874·6m Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act loan.
Financial close has now been achieved on the PPP contract for the $2bn project. Further funding is expected to come from a $900m Full Funding Grant Agreement, due to be signed in the next few months, $367m in bond sales and $36m of Federal Transit Administration Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Grant funds.
The Maryland Department of Transportation selected the Purple Line Transit Partners consortium as preferred bidder in March. The consortium of Meridiam (70%), Fluor Enterprises (15%) and Star America (15%) will design, build, finance, operate and maintain the line under a concession that took effect on April 7 and which will expire 30 years after substantial completion, which is scheduled for March 2022.
Construction is to begin later this year, with Fluor creating a joint venture with The Lane Construction Corp and Traylor Brothers. Subcontractor Atkins North America is lead designer. CAF USA is to provide a fleet of light rail vehicles as part of the operations and maintenance joint venture led by Fluor and including Alternate Concepts.
The 25·7 km east-west route with 21 stops will link New Carrollton and Bethesda. It will run partly on dedicated right-of-way and partly in mixed traffic. Interchange will be provided with the Washington metro, MARC commuter lines and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
