Difficulties with the relocation of overhead utility lines along with complex excavation work being done as part of the construction of the Purple Line are delaying the completion of Spring Street Bridge in downtown Silver Spring until the end of the year, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT).
“Due to the complex nature of this work, bridge construction is taking longer than originally expected,” MDOT spokesperson Kathryn Lamb told Bethesda Today on Friday.
MDOT initially closed the bridge in June 2024 and said it would be closed until January 2025, but then pushed that date back until the spring and now to the end of 2025. The department announced last month that the bridge, which is being rebuilt as part of the light-rail Purple Line construction, will remain closed through 2025.
The Purple Line, which has been under construction since 2017, will be a 21-station light-rail line that will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County and connect riders to the Metro’s Red, Green and Orange lines as well as to MARC and Amtrak trains and bus services.
During the coming months, crews will finish demolishing the existing Spring Street bridge and begin the construction of the new bridge, according to an April 30 MDOT update.
Lamb told Bethesda Today that one of the primary causes of the ongoing delays is the process of relocating overhead utilities.
“This requires coordination with seven utility companies as well as with CSX and WMATA to gain access to areas above the tracks,” Lamb said. “As CSX freight and MARC Commuter trains approach the area, CSX flaggers must halt construction work so trains can pass safely through the active work zone.”
She added that crews are building the bridge’s foundation, which requires complex excavation to install a new stormwater management system around 45 feet below ground.
As Purple Line construction continues, portions of Spring Street, First and Second avenues are closed, and a portion of 16th Street running through Silver Spring is closed to through traffic. Signs direct drivers to a detour along 16th Street, Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road, according to a diagram on the MDOT website.
The Spring Street Bridge is the second Silver Spring bridge being replaced due to construction of the Purple Line. The Talbot Avenue Bridge was closed for around seven years and reopened in May 2024.
Downtown Silver Spring business owners told Bethesda Today earlier this year that Purple Line construction has negatively impacted their enterprises, with fences and equipment blocking their stores and making it harder for customers to access them.
Construction of the line has faced numerous delays since the project’s inception, but state transportation officials expect it will be open for service in late 2027.
“The Purple Line is progressing rapidly, and the project is 78.6% complete with 50% of track installed. The Purple Line team recognizes the impact bridge closure has on the local community and appreciates the community’s patience,” Lamb said.
Freelancer Courtney Cohn is a former Bethesda Today reporter. Bethesda Today reporter Ginny Bixby contributed to this story.
