On September 5, 2017, the Georgetown Branch was officially closed so that work could begin on the Purple Line light rail. In conjunction with the Purple Line project, construction crews are extending the Capital Crescent Trail as a paved 12 foot wide off-road shared use path from Bethesda to Silver Spring. The Purple Line project, which was to be completed in 2022 when the trail was closed, has experienced many delays and as of 2019 was to be completed in 2023; but after a contract dispute led to the project managers walking off the job, the state took over and claimed it could delay completion for years. The trail could be opened before the trains run, but a tunnel through Bethesda will not be completed until 2026.