Following completion of the new circle in September 2020, all Purple Line construction was paused due to a dispute between PLTP and the state over $800 million in unpaid cost overruns.

As a result, UMD students, staff, and visitors reported difficulty with navigating the campus due to unfinished construction and the associated roadblocks and detours.

[4] The MTA continued to directly manage construction of the line until June 26, 2022, when Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS) were approved as the new lead contractor.

[5] After the agreement with MTS, construction on campus ramped back up, with additional construction-related closures and detours along the line's route.

This included the closure of three out of the five entrances to the primary on-campus lot for commuter students in January 2023, leading to congestion, a lack of spaces, and confused drivers and pedestrians.