Purple Line reaches milestone with semi-completion of tunnel ahead of schedule

The construction of the Purple Line reached a milestone with the semi-completion of a tunnel on Thursday.

The tunnel under Flower Avenue is the only one on the 16.2 miles long light rail line that will connect New Carrollton to downtown Bethesda.

RELATED: Purple Line construction plagued by delays, soaring costs

The shaft runs about 1,000 feet under Flower Avenue and several homes before opening up near a number of apartment buildings. The tunnel project had nearby residents complaining about the noise from the late night work, but over time a compromise was worked out with modified hours.

The work took eight-and-a-half months to complete and finished ahead of schedule.

RELATED: Noise from Purple Line construction keeping neighbors up in Montgomery County

Project managers told FOX 5 they hope to have the Purple Line open in late 2022.

In the video player above, FOX 5's Paul Wagner gives us a live look at the work being performed on the Purple Line.