The Maryland Department of Transportation recently issued $600,000 in new grants to support operations at 60 small businesses impacted by the construction of the Purple Line light rail line.
[Above photo by the Maryland DOT]
The Purple Line Small Business Grant Program distributes funds in three rounds each year. Those grant awards – which vary by business size and location – go to eligible entities prioritized based on their location and proximity to areas most significantly impacted by construction in the prior and upcoming six months.
Eligible small businesses must primarily conduct business with customers onsite at a location within one-quarter of a mile of the Purple Line and have been open and operational since July 1, 2023.
The agency noted that it created the Purple Line Small Business Grant Program in 2024 and has awarded nearly 250 grants totaling $2.6 million to small businesses in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
“With nearly 700,000 small businesses in Maryland and more than 40 percent of small businesses minority-owned, the Maryland DOT remains committed to supporting and partnering with small businesses,” noted Katie Thomson, Maryland DOT secretary, in a statement.
The Purple Line – a 16-mile, 21-station light rail line connecting communities from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County – is nearing 90 percent completion of construction and live testing is underway along portions of the system. Work continues to install overhead catenary lines to power the system, complete stations, and test systems.
The Purple Line – which directly connects to the Washington, D.C. Metrorail subway system as well the Maryland Area Rail Commuter and Amtrak trains plus local bus services – is set to open in late 2027.
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