The Department of Transportation (DOT) signed a final funding agreement on Monday to put $900 million toward a light-rail line in Maryland.



The $2 billion project, which is being financed by a mix of federal grants, state funding and local dollars, will improve transportation between the traffic-congested areas of Prince George's County and Montgomery County, which are suburbs of the nation’s capital.



The so-called Purple Line will consist of a 16-mile rail line with 21 stations and is expected to be completed by 2022. It is not a part of Washington’s Metrorail system.



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During a groundbreaking ceremony in Hyattsville on Monday, Transportation Secretaryapplauded the public transit project for being a public-private partnership — a top priority for President Trump’s infrastructure initiative.“I want to underscore several aspects about this project and why it’s so special, and why Maryland can be an example for the rest of the country,” Chao said. “It will be supported by a partnership with the private sector.”The fate of the project, and whether it would receive federal funding, was in doubt earlier this year.Opponents of the project filed a lawsuit against the Purple Line, prompting a federal judge to put it on hold. But an appellate court overturned the lower court’s ruling last month, paving the way for major construction to begin.