Maryland Purple Line Celebrates Key Milestone at Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility
RIVERDALE, MD —WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy, joined the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) Tuesday at a ceremony to celebrate the topping out of the Glenridge Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF). At the celebration, the final construction beam was signed and placed into position atop the facility.
WSP is part of the Purple Line Transit Partners, a joint venture that serves as program management consultant for the $5.6 billion, 16-mile public-private partnership (P3) light rail transit project (LRT). It is the second P3-funded transit project in the U.S.
“The Purple Line LRT project is an exciting one for WSP and for the greater Washington, D.C. region, and represents a big step forward in connecting major transit lines, connecting people to activity centers, and connecting communities throughout this metro area,” said Bernie McNeilly, WSP president, program and construction management. “WSP, as joint venture lead, is thrilled to have supported the project as program manager from planning/programming through construction.”
The light rail line will run inside the Capital Beltway north of Washington, D.C., connecting Bethesda and New Carrollton with stops at 21 stations. The east-west light rail line will connect with four Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority stations, which include Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) and Amtrak connections, as well as local bus service. Construction on the project started in 2017 and is targeted for completion in 2022.
The 170,000-square-foot OMF was designed to achieve Silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The building is the largest of the two vertical components of the Purple Line program and will support maintenance of LRT vehicles and accommodate the Operations Control Center.
“This is a major milestone for the project,” said John D. Porcari, president of advisory services at WSP USA. “This facility will play a key role in the successful management and operation of the region’s first circumferential link connecting to the Washington D.C. Metro system, Amtrak and MARC commuter rail. The Purple Line will provide significant travel time savings for commuters in a growing residential area and business hub north of the nation’s capital.”
WSP’s multidiscipline team has been integral to the Purple Line’s successful advancement throughout each step of the project. We supported the MDOT MTA through the P3 solicitation process, and provided planning and engineering, environmental impact analysis, cost estimating and grant funding services. WSP is now performing contract management, design review, public outreach and construction management quality oversight for the ongoing project.
About WSP USA
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 9,500 employees in 150 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper. wsp.com
