(Maryland Department of Transportation photo)

U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $120 million in federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the construction of the Purple Line. This grant is part of the $900 million federal grant agreement for the Maryland Purple Line Light Rail Project, $568 million of which has been appropriated through FY 2019. The funding will go toward the development of railways, stations, and storage and maintenance facilities.

"I am pleased to announce this funding for the construction of the Purple Line that will ultimately benefit thousands of Marylanders, strengthen our commuter workforce, and boost our economy," said Van Hollen a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committees. "This grant brings us one step closer to delivering a mode of transportation that will be safe, reliable, and efficient for Maryland commuters. While we fulfill the federal commitment to complete the Purple Line, we also expect the state and Purple Line Transit Partners to resolve any cost overruns and delays and will continue to use our congressional oversight role to monitor progress on the project. It also is important that they respect the concerns of local communities along the route, including the need to preserve the Capital Crescent hiker-biker trail."

"This funding for the Purple Line addresses a critical gap in the Washington Metro region's public transport options. It will improve existing infrastructure by connecting with Metrorail, MARC and Amtrak rail lines, linking communities to services and jobs. By getting cars off of the roads, it also will lessen the environmental impacts of traffic," said Cardin. "I look forward to working with state and private partners to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and with input from the surrounding neighborhoods."

The FTA provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. This funding comes through FTA's Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Maryland Transit Administration for the Maryland National Capital Purple Line project. Sens. Cardin and Van Hollen supported and secured significant funding for the FTA in the FY 2018 and FY 2019 omnibus bills.

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