Congress on Monday night released a bipartisan budget agreement to fund the federal government through September that has wide-ranging implications for the DC area, including for the Purple Line and the FBI headquarters.
The spending bill maintains the $150M annual federal appropriation for Metro and includes a conditional $125M for the construction of the Purple Line in suburban Maryland, WTOP reports.
The $150M annual federal contribution to Metro is scheduled to run out next year, but local officials hope Congress will continue to support the transit system, which faces an uncertain funding future as it grapples with its $290M budget gap and prolonged ridership decline.
The $125M funding for the Purple Line is the first installment of an expected $900M in federal funding, and it is contingent on that full agreement being signed by September. Purple Line supports view the appropriation as a promising sign.
“The key thing is that we can get the full funding grant agreement,” Purple Line Now vice president Gregory Sanders said. “Putting the money towards it is a strong indication we will be able to do so.
The light rail, expected to open in 2022, would span 16 miles from New Carrollton to Bethesda and has already sparked several new development projects along the route.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Jon Banister over at Bis Now