Parsons’ House to CTF Board
Sunnie House, vice president and Western regional manager for North America Rail for Parsons, has been appointed Chair of the California Transportation Foundation (CTF) Board of Directors.
Commuter/Regional
Amtrak names Hylander as EVP, chief safety officer
Amtrak has appointed Ken Hylander to serve as executive vice president and chief safety officer.
HDR to plan Tacoma Dome light-rail extension
Engineering firm HDR has announced it will plan the final extension needed for Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) to complete light-rail service between Seattle and Tacoma, Wash.
PennDOT aims to put the brakes on human trafficking
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Jan. 9 that it has signed the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking pledge.
FTA approval advances KC Streetcar extension to development phase
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has given official authorization to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) and the Kansas City Streetcar Authority (KCSA) as well as the City of Kansas City, Mo., (KCMO) to move the KC Streetcar Main Street Extension project into the project development phase.
NJT’s Santoro calling it quits
New Jersey Transit Executive Director Steve Santoro, who has spent 18 years with the agency, submitted his resignation to New Jersey Transportation Commissioner Rick Hammer on Jan. 5. He will be leaving in April and said he is “committed to ensuring a smooth transition for the new administration” of incoming Governor Phil Murphy.
Rep. Frelinghuysen wants feds to support Gateway Program
U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ-11) wants the federal government to back the Gateway Program and Hudson River Tunnels Project, according to a letter he sent to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams.
Parsons adds Ryan to rail team
Jennifer Ryan, a longtime rail project engineer and winner of Railway Age’s inaugural Women in Rail award, has joined Parsons as a Senior Project Manager, Rail, in the corporation’s Irvine, Calif., office.
Gov. Cuomo wants a subway in Red Hook
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to study options that would bring a subway to the Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood.
Amtrak begins next phase of NY Penn Station work
Amtrak’s next series of track renewal projects in New York Penn Station will kick-off Jan. 5, with updated scheduled train operations beginning on Jan. 8.
Sec. Chao urges swift PTC implementation among US railroads
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Elaine Chao sent a form letter to 47 Class 1, intercity and state and local transit authorities to stress the urgency and importance of implementing positive train control (PTC) by Dec. 31, 2018.
Brightline to begin introductory service next week
BRIGHTLINE, Florida’s new private passenger operator, has announced that it will launch an introductory service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach during the week of Jan. 8.
Next round of RTD G Line testing to focus on C&S systems
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver, Colo., has resumed testing on its G Line as of today, emphasizing the evaluation of its communication and signaling systems.
Feds: What Gateway agreement?
Federal Transit Administration Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams outlined a series of concerns regarding an updated financial plan for the Hudson Tunnel project in a letter to New York State Director of Budget Robert Mujica on Dec. 29.
Canada, Ontario commit funds to freight rail study
Federal and provincial funding has been committed toward freight rail analysis of Ontario’s Peterborough-Toronto-Havelock-Blue Mountain corridor.
MTA unveils 19 finalists for Genius Challenge
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) released the names of the 19 finalists in three categories as part of “The MTA Genius Transit Challenge.”
HSR coming to Illinois
Amtrak should begin high-speed service between Chicago and St. Louis this summer, the result of a $2-billion project that is in the final phase of construction.
HNTB hires Zeyad Alkaisi as senior project manager
HNTB Corporation (HNTB) has brought on Zeyad Alkaisi, CCM, as a rail transit senior project manager and associate vice president.
Sound Transit Board approves Tacoma Dome Link Extension
The Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) Board approved the Tacoma Dome Link Extension last week, setting a $125.7 million budget for preliminary engineering for the project.
FECR offers safety training for emergency responders
Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) recently provided training for emergency responders on railway safety issues associated with various equipment used in daily rail operations.