Threats to halt work on the Purple Line over a contract dispute are stirring fears among elected officials, residents and business owners in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.
The consortium overseeing the 16-mile light rail line, Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP), filed notice this week that it will end its partnership with its contractors and the state in August if a resolution isn’t reached by then.
The parties are deadlocked over who will bear responsibility for a reported $755 million in overruns on the $2 billion project. The first portion of the Purple Line, which will connect New Carrollton and Bethesda, is set to begin operation in late 2022, but that timetable is in jeopardy because of the contract dispute.
On Wednesday, the project’s construction team, Purple Line Transit Constructors, filed a notice with the state that it intends to lay off more than 700 workers if a settlement regarding cost overruns isn’t reached in the next 60 days, Bethesda Beat reported.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Bruce DePuyt over at Maryland Matters