MDOT MTA
Ahead of Purple Line service launching in 2027, dynamic testing of the CAF-built light rail vehicles is under way, the MDOT MTA reported April 3. This phase of testing is taking place on the one-mile test track located adjacent to the line’s Operations and Maintenance Facility along Veterans Parkway in Glenridge, Md. The first eight of 28 LRVs ordered are on-site; deliveries began last July. Dynamic testing is expected to continue through 2026 as more vehicles are delivered.
The 16-mile, 21-station Purple Line project, which broke ground in 2017, will extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County (see map above). It will connect directly to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Red, Green, and Orange lines at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, and New Carrollton. The Purple Line will also link to MARC commuter rail, Amtrak and local bus services. Originally anticipated to open in March 2022, the Purple Line was plagued with delays and cost overruns that led to litigation, which was resolved in November 2020.
“This is a monumental moment for the Purple Line as the project begins systems testing and brings us closer to service,” Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said. “With the project at 76% complete, seeing the light rail vehicles on the tracks is a welcome sight that shows our continued progress. Thank you to the team for their hard work and the public for your continued patience as we move closer to finishing the Purple Line.”
“Another major milestone for the Purple Line means a big step forward for Maryland’s public transit future,” Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold noted. “As the project transforms from primarily heavy construction into the testing phases, we are closer to our goal of connecting Maryland communities of Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and the region.”
“Moving into the dynamic testing phase is a testament to the extraordinary collaboration of the Maryland Transit Administration, Purple Line Transit Partners, Maryland Transit Solutions, and Purple Line Transit Operators along with support from our local and state elected officials,” added Ray Biggs II, MTA Senior Project Director for the Purple Line.
“Purple Line trains making runs up and down the test track is a milestone we’ve all been working toward since the project began,” Purple Line Transit Partners CEO Doran Bosso commented. “Our enduring partnership with Maryland’s Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration, coupled with many thousands of hours of work by design-build contractor Maryland Transit Solutions, have brought us to this exciting moment. Future passengers witnessing trains in motion will help them envision how the Purple Line will transform our region.”
Further Reading: Maryland Again Delays Purple Line Opening
TTC
TTC on April 3 reported awarding the Progressive Design-Build contract for the Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvement (BYCI) project to the Kenaidan Murphy Joint Venture (KMJV) of Kenaidan Infrastructure Ltd. and Murphy Infrastructure Inc.
In early 2024, the agency issued a project RFP to KMJV and the two other shortlisted teams: Bloor-Yonge Crossline Partners (led by Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc.) and EllisDon-Barnard Joint Venture (a joint venture of EllisDon Civil Ltd. and Barnard Constructors of Canada LP).
The BYCI project is slated to expand and update the existing subway station that opened in 1954 to improve efficiency and capacity and to reduce overcrowding during rush hours.
Work will include the construction of a second platform on Line 2 for eastbound service; an expansion of the Line 1 northbound and southbound platforms; new elevators, escalators and stairs; the construction of a new accessible entrance and exit on the south side of Bloor Street East; new public art and station finishes; one new electrical substation to power new and existing areas of the station and ventilation systems; new fan plants to improve ventilation; and utility upgrades.
According to TTC, the decision to award the contract to KMJV was approved by the TTC Board in February. KMJV and TTC, it said, will work collaboratively to advance the project design to approximately 70% and to develop a schedule and target pricing for implementation. This project phase is expected to take about two years.
The BYCI project is being completed under a Progressive Design-Build procurement model, which has three phases: Procurement, Development and Implementation. Once the development phase is completed, TTC said, Board approval will be required to move to the implementation phase, where station design will be completed and construction will begin.
The project, currently estimated to cost C$1.5 billion, will be funded jointly by the city of Toronto, government of Ontario, and government of Canada.
“Bloor-Yonge Station is one of the TTC’s busiest stations, and this project is essential to ensuring that the station can continue to handle the high volume of commuters safely for years to come,” TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said. “Congratulations to Kenaidan Murphy Joint Venture on winning this contract, and we look forward to the next steps in this project.”
Caltrain
Sustainable San Mateo County has presented an award to Caltrain “for its exemplary commitment to delivering environmental, economic, and social equity benefits,” and “for fostering and utilizing partnerships and public engagement efforts to reimagine the region’s transportation system,” Caltrain reported April 3.
The railroad, which provides commuter service along the San Francisco Peninsula, through the South Bay to San Jose and Gilroy (see map, left), fully launched its electrified service in September 2024, transforming the 160-year-old corridor from diesel to electric power. Caltrain is now running 23 Stadler Rail-built KISS bilevel EMUs (electric multiple-units). In October, the first full month of electrified service, Caltrain carried 753,000 passengers, marking a 54% increase in ridership over October 2023. It saw ridership grow to more than a half million passengers in December 2024, a 41% increase over December 2023, and that growth continued into this year, with January seeing a 51% increase and February seeing a 48% increase over last year.
“At Caltrain, sustainability is a core value underlying our work across the Peninsula,” Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard said. “We are honored to be recognized by Sustainable San Mateo County for our electrification project’s impact on furthering the region’s key environmental, economic and equity goals. Electrified service has reinvented our system for generations to come, and we are confident it will continue to serve as a model for other railroad systems across the nation.”
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