The Purple Line

Community-Based Approach to New Light Rail Connection

Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, MD

Client

MDOT Maryland Transit Administration

Team

Purple Line Transit Constructors (PLTC)

Cost

$5.6 Billion

Services

P3/Design Build, Transit, Trail/Multimodal Design, Structure Aesthetics Plan, Urban Tree Conservation, Reforestation, Vegetative Analysis/Landscape Health Assessment, Invasive Species Management Plan, Urban Design, Restoration, Public Art Facilitation, Community Engagement

Purple Line route map

In coordination with the project’s architects and engineers, Floura Teeter is the Landscape Architect of Record for the design of this 16-mile light rail corridor across Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. The project provides a much-needed east-west multi-modal connection to the DC Metrorail, MARC commuter rail, Amtrak, and local bus lines, including stops within the University of Maryland College Park campus.

Person walking in front of the "M". The "M" Person biking in front of the "M". The "M" fully built on the campus of University of Maryland

Project Features

Design, construction, environmental justice, and environmental stewardship goals for this innovative P3 project guided development of aesthetics, landscape, and transit amenities throughout the corridor and 21 stations along the alignment. Dialogue with stakeholders, including elected officials, local jurisdictions, state and local agencies, and community members helped steer decisions for planting locations, species selection, stormwater treatment, constrained urban conditions, setbacks from train envelope and associated utilities, and safety for users.   

The Purple Line has a robust Art-in-Transit program designed to celebrate community identity, history and culture and will make each station unique to their adjacent neighborhoods. Floura Teeter served as Art-in-Transit Managers for PLTC.

Mik Young Kim's design for Art in Transit

Project Team