SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Montgomery County Council’s transportation committee examined unexpected Purple Line costs Thursday and decided to hold off on any action until the matter can be studied further.
Under the recently-finalized light rail contract, the state is asking Montgomery County to pay about $14 million more than previously thought for the light rail line.
“The cost has basically doubled,” County Deputy Administrator Glenn Orlin told the committee.
The unexpected costs come from elevators that would be constructed to connect the Purple Line with the Bethesda Metro station. The line will run from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County.
“We actually thought this was going to cost us less, not more,” said committee chairman Roger Berliner.
The committee decided not to immediately recommend additional money for the project.
“I don’t want to make assumptions with respect to these numbers at a time when we’re still negotiating these numbers,” Berliner said.
County leaders plan to work in the coming weeks to potentially bring the cost down, but they don’t have a lot of time. The state’s Board of Public Works is scheduled to consider formally approving the light rail contract next month, and the county is expected to have its funding plans in order by then.
