Maryland Today

Feb 28, 2024

Purple Line Construction, New Micromobility Changes Will Affect Terps This Semester

By Chris Carroll Aug 29, 2023

Newly laid tracks for the state's light-rail Purple Line project extend up Campus Drive. For now, Terps are altering their routes to accommodate construction of the major transit initiative.

Photo by Riley Sims Ph.D. ’23

Terps trekking across campus this fall will discover changes beyond just traffic patterns, including more pedestrian-friendly improvements along Baltimore Avenue, a new focus on privately owned e-scooters and e-bikes, and upgrades to the Shuttle-UM app.

Purple LineThe central intersection of Regents and Campus drives is a crossroads once more, after months in a U-shaped configuration then a summer largely shut down to accommodate accelerated construction of the state’s Purple Line project.

Terps will now navigate through a three-way stop, just one of the ways their routes have been adjusted this fall around construction of the light-rail route slated to open in spring 2027. Five of the route’s 21 stations, which will extend from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County, will be located on or around the UMD campus—ultimately better connecting the university with the surrounding region while easing commutes.

Watch for other following Purple Line closures and impacts this fall:

Find the most up-to-date road closures and detours at UMD’s Purple Line website.

Baltimore AvenueThe $29 million upgrade of Baltimore Avenue in College Park continues, including a new median, new bike lanes, widened sidewalks, resurfaced roadways and improved street lighting.

The 1.4-mile effort, led by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, will enhance safety for pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists and motorists in one of the region’s most traveled and important corridors.

The section of Baltimore Avenue from Regents Drive/College Avenue to the bridge just north of Campus Drive is complete, with the exception of the Rossborough Lane intersection. The remaining section through University Boulevard is expected to be done in 2024.

MicromobilityAfter a pause in operations for part of August, the familiar black-and-green Veo e-bikes and e-scooters were back on campus for the start of the semester.

Starting Oct. 2, privately owned ones must be registered with the Department of Transportation Services (DOTS).

“There’s been an obvious expansion of private micromobility vehicles on campus, so we’d like to understand the landscape better,” said Emily Cosci, DOTS assistant director of communications. Such knowledge will allow the university to communicate with owners of the vehicles about new regulations and safety information, facilitate bike and scooter infrastructure planning, and even make users eligible for services like lock-cutting if they lose a key or forget a combination, she said. Read more about registration and FAQs.

[Take our e-scooter and micromobility safety quiz.]

ParkingParking permits and registration procedures are unchanged from last year, but there are a few new wrinkles in the race to get the best space.

Parking lots will be full this year, especially in the first few weeks of the semester, Cosci said. She recommended building in extra time to park, and calling the DOTS customer service line at 301.314.3687 for help if you can’t find a space.

And one more thing: “If you’re coming from out of state and only have a rear license plate, don’t back in,” she said. “If we can’t read your license plate, it’s a violation and you could be cited.”

Shuttle-UM, Paratransit and Nite RideWhat’s the haps? New and improved apps.

DOTS’ Transit app now includes real-time bus arrival information in addition to route planning and other amenities. Meanwhile, the new Terp Ride app allows users of UMD’s Paratransit and Nite Ride services to easily request rides and see an estimated time of arrival, the location of the van, and the vehicle’s make and license plate number, all to improve riders’ safety.

[Read about UMD’s plan to replace diesel buses with electric ones.]

Shuttle-UM’s routes are largely unchanged, although some have been adjusted to accommodate Purple Line construction. See the fall schedules.

DOTS is looking to hire drivers for both Shuttle-UM buses and Paratransit/Nite Ride vans. In addition to pay of up to $18.50 an hour for bus drivers, students can be trained and qualify for a commercial driver’s license for free.

“We love to have student drivers, and DOTS is a great place to work,” Cosci said. “And once they’re done working for us, they still have the CDL, which can be a valuable asset throughout life.”

Campus & Community

Transportation Student Experience

Department of Transportation Services

What You Need to KnowAll week in Maryland Today, we’ll feature important information for the campus community this semester on the following topics: