Maryland’s troubled $2-billion Purple Line light rail project will move forward with a smaller concession team and no clarity on its design-builders. This follows a $250-million agreement between its private developer and state transportation agencies that settles a lengthy cost dispute and cements the exit of Fluor Corp. from the project as both financial stakeholder and constructor.
Announced Nov. 24, the deal settles all outstanding claims and terminates litigation between the Maryland Dept. of Transportation and Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP)—made up of Meridiam, Star America and Fluor—arising from multiple delay issues that have resulted in approximately $800 million in cost overruns and added nearly two years to a project originally set for completion in 2022.
