A contractor walks to cut down a tree and clear out space along the Georgetown Branch Trail to make way for the Purple Line on Sept. 27, 2017 in Chevy Chase, Md. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)For more than a year, Maryland officials have pegged the cost of building the 16-mile light-rail Purple Line through the Washington suburbs at $2 billion. Apparently, the definition of “construction cost” is open to interpretation, and Maryland officials leave out some major expenses. In committing $900 million in federal grant money to the Purple Line’s construction, the FTA seemed to think that additional $400 million counts. [Montgomery leaders ask Purple Line project team to work with neighbors]Lattuca said a March 2022 opening is “where we are right now.” However, he added that project officials are still working on a “long-term” construction schedule.

Source: Washington Post October 03, 2017 18:33 UTC