By Alicia Colegrove

As the Purple Line progresses, University of Maryland students weighed their hopes for better, more reliable transportation against concerns of pedestrian safety and increased traffic.  

The Purple Line is a light-rail line that will connect Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, with 21 total stops, including five on UMD’s campus. According to the Purple Line website, construction is 88% complete.

Isabel Polanco, a senior human development major, said she thinks the line will make it easier for students to travel home on weekends. 

“I like that it goes into [Montgomery County], which is where a lot of students are from here,” Polanco said.

UMD has multiple buses with routes across campus and into surrounding areas, like Shuttle-UM and Metrobus. However, Polanco said those can fill up quickly on weekends. She said she thinks the Purple Line will be especially helpful to noncommuter students who live nearby, and that parking at UMD isn’t ideal.

“You also have to pay for the on-campus parking permit, which can be expensive,” Polanco said.

Bryan Gomez, a junior mechanical engineering major, said he agrees the Purple Line will help students who live farther away, but is also concerned about its impact on traffic.

“It’s a bit of a fight just to come into the university,” Gomez said.

Because most classes begin around 9 a.m., Gomez said he sees lines of cars and lots of foot traffic around that time. He said he wasn’t sure how the Purple Line would impact morning commutes and anticipated people might have to start their day earlier to beat the crowd.

“All that crossing the street can cause a bit of congestion,” Gomez said.

Nadeen Alomar, a senior chemical engineering major, said her main concern was safety. 

“I know that most of my friends, as well, agree that having it stop in the middle of campus is a little concerning,” Alomar said.

The Purple Line will have stops on Campus Drive and Baltimore Avenue, two major roadways that cut through the center of UMD. Alomar said she wasn’t sure why they couldn’t have put the stops next to campus instead.

“People might be running late to class, or on bikes. We already know people are reckless on scooters and bikes. So what if it hits someone?” Alomar said.

Despite her safety concerns, Alomar said she was hopeful that the line would ultimately prove useful to students.

“I’m hoping they make it work in a way that is accessible to commuters, especially who might find it nicer to have the stop so close to campus,” Alomar said. 

According to UMD’s Division of Administration, after 10 years of design and construction, the Purple Line is set to begin service in December 2027.

Featured Image: The Purple Line’s Campus Drive Stop on March 31, 2026. Photo by Kendrick Brown.