Maryland Gov. Wes Moore marked a key milestone in the Purple Line project during a stop in Montgomery County on his “Delivering for Maryland” tour, joining local leaders and transportation officials to install the final segment of rail at the future 16th Street–Woodside Station.

The moment marks the completion of 193,100 feet of track linking Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.

“In Maryland, our people have one very simple question for all of their elected officials: Are you going to do what you say you’re going to do? People in Montgomery County have been asking that question about the Purple Line for over a decade, and today, we are delivering,” said Gov. Moore. “By completing over 16 miles of track from New Carrollton to Bethesda and putting more than 2,000 people to work, we are keeping our promise, strengthening Maryland’s economic competitiveness, and creating communities that thrive.”

Purple Line Milestone

The completion of the final rail installation marks a major physical milestone for the Purple Line, linking the 16.2-mile corridor from New Carrollton to Bethesda and enabling the next stage of vehicle and systems integration testing.

The project will now focus on completing construction by the end of 2026, including station structural elements, Art in Transit installations, landscaping, and train and traffic signal controls.

The Purple Line is expected to open to passengers in late 2027. Once in service, the Purple Line will offer a convenient alternative to driving between Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, reducing congestion and increasing connectivity.

“Placement of the last rail represents more than construction progress,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “This milestone represents our commitment to expanding mobility so that more people can access jobs, education, essential services, and opportunity.”

Driving Economic Development

The administration has committed $3 million to drive economic development in Montgomery County by supporting exterior upgrades for businesses within half a mile of Montgomery County Purple Line stations. This investment was included in the governor’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget.

The state’s support of the Purple Line corridor includes direct financial assistance to those businesses that have been directly impacted by Purple Line construction. Through the Purple Line Small Business Grant program, the Maryland Department of Transportation has awarded $2.6 million in grants to nearly 250 local businesses.

The first round of 2026 grant recipients was recently announced, with $600,000 awarded to 60 businesses across Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Two additional rounds of grant applications are scheduled for the remainder of the year.

The governor’s visit to Montgomery County follows last week’s “Delivering for Maryland” tour in Prince George’s County.

While in Prince George’s County, Governor Moore highlighted initiatives to support stable housing and public safety. The governor visited District Heights Elementary School, where he discussed the positive impact of the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program, which provides emergency funding to families to prevent eviction. He then hosted a roundtable at Prince George’s Community College to announce the expansion of the cross-agency Safer Stronger Together initiative into Capitol Heights and District Heights to invest in youth and address the root causes of crime.