Officials say part of a historic Maryland bridge that served as a lifeline to African-Americans during segregation will be preserved on a recreation trail that'll run along the future Purple line.
Montgomery County officials say the Maryland Transit Administration has agreed to save the steel girders from the Talbot Avenue bridge when it's torn down to make way for the light-rail line.
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that longtime residents of Lyttonsville, which was founded in 1853 by a free black laborer, have been fighting for years to preserve the bridge's history.
County officials closed the bridge in May after it failed a safety inspection.
Tim Cupples, Montgomery's coordinator on the state's Purple Line project, says the county and state are still discussing how much the preservation project will cost and who will pay for it.
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Information from: The Washington Post
