Maryland transportation officials said Tuesday they will take over day-to-day management of building the Purple Line, at least temporarily, as soon as construction crews pack up and depart, a process that could come as early as next week.

They told the Prince George’s County Council there are firms eager to come in and guide the 16-mile rail project to completion, but they conceded that the demise of the state’s relationship with its original contractor, Purple Line Transit Partners, will lead to delays.

The prospect of the state taking responsibility for the project — which began as a highly-touted “public-private partnership” but has since cratered amid nearly $800 million in cost overruns — led members of the council to express anger and skepticism about the Maryland Department of Transportation’s competence.

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