NYCT FASTRACK coming to the 1, 2 and 3 lines

New York City Transit’s FASTRACK is returning to the Seventh Avenue Line. Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit conducted four FASTRACK line shutdowns in the first quarter of this year resulting in an unprecedented amount of work. During the first late-night shutdown on the Broadway/Seventh Avenue 123 corridor, 800 maintenance workers completed more than 400 tasks each night, a monumental effort that would have taken months under normal operations. And, according to NYCT, there is still more work to be done.

Centennial celebration of San Francisco’s first streetcar kicks off

San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all transportation in the city, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), joined U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the SFMTA Centennial Honorary Committee, to launch the 100th anniversary celebration of the Municipal Railway, founded on December 28, 1912.

Denver RTD celebrates 10 years Central Platte Valley Light Rail C Line

This month the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, Colo., is marking 10 years of light-rail service on the Central Platte Valley (CPV) C Line. Since RTD opened the 1.8-mile line April, 5, 2002, the line has carried more than 17 million passenger trips. Now a decade later, RTD and its community partners are marking the 10th Anniversary.

Michigan trackwork to relieve slow orders, restore Amtrak service

Following work set to begin April 16, Amtrak Wolverine Service and Blue Water passengers can expect normal travel times on Norfolk Southern tracks in Michigan by early May.

SEPTA issues Norristown High Speed Line construction update

For the past several months, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has been working to complete both planned and emergency construction projects on the Norristown High Speed Line.

PANYNJ plans $256 million Harrison Rail Station replacement project

A new glass-and-steel Harrison Port Authority of New York and New Jersey rail station is now on track to replace the currently deteriorating 76-year-old facility after the authority commissioners authorized key steps to move the project forward.

NYCT launches second track improvement initiative

In New York a major track renewal and component replacement project along the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Queens Boulevard Line will begin on April 7. The track closure will be in effect 24 hours a day as the tracks and support equipment are completely replaced with new ties, tie blocks, plates and rails.

Metro Gold Line contractor receives Notice To Proceed

California’s Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority issued a Full Notice to Proceed to Foothill Transit Constructors, A Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture for the $486 million Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa light-rail alignment project. The Full Notice to Proceed affords the Kiewit Parsons Joint Venture the ability to implement all aspects of the design-build contract, including design and construction of the 11.5 miles of tracks, stations, crossings, bridges, utilities, maintenance facility and more. The total project budget is $735 million.

Sen. Lautenberg voices support of Amtrak’s Gateway Project

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) released the following statement after New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joe Lhota expressed his support for Amtrak’s Gateway Tunnel project under the Hudson River. 
 


Boring complete on Sound Transit second tunnel

The second tunnel boring machine mining new light-rail tunnels in the Seattle, Wash.-area, between Capitol Hill and the University of Washington finished its underground journey Monday afternoon.

CHSR revises business plan, cost estimate now at $68.4 billion

The California High-Speed Rail Authority revised its Business Plan to launch high-speed rail service, capable of traveling 220 miles-per-hour, from Merced to the San Fernando Valley, within 10 years.

LACMTA to update the public on the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Study

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in cooperation with the city of Los Angeles, will hold three community meetings in April to update the public on the Alternatives Analysis study that is evaluating options to improve north-south travel opportunities in the East San Fernando Valley and provide connections to the regional transportation network. The AA study is a precursor to the draft environmental document.

RT&S launches “Rail Brief” weekly engineering newsletter

The editors of Railway Track & Structures are pleased to bring you “Rail Brief,” a weekly e-mail newsletter that brings breaking news about rail engineering and maintenance-of-way to your inbox. Whether it occurs on or off the track, RT&S “Rail Brief” will cover advancing projects, developing technologies and other updates on rail infrastructure.

HDR promotes two executives in transportation group

HDR has named two directors to its transportation group.

Unitrac awarded Amtrak contract

Unitrac Railroad Materials, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Healey Railroad Corporation, received a $1.1 million contract to supply special trackwork to Amtrak.

Chicago Mayor Emanuel plans $7 billion city infrastructure program

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel put into action a $7 billion, three-year infrastructure program, Building a New Chicago, which is one of the largest investments in infrastructure in the city’s history. The program will touch nearly every aspect of the city’s infrastructure network and create more than 30,000 jobs over the next three years.

MassDOT, MBTA recommend proposal to close MBTA FY13 budget gap

Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey and Acting Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority General Manager Jonathan Davis announced their recommended proposal for closing the MBTA’s $185 million budget gap for next fiscal year.

SFMTA recommends two-year budget proposal with maintenance focus

The Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees all transportation in the city, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), released proposals to balance the agency’s upcoming two-year budget. The proposals make a significant investment in maintenance that will increase Muni’s reliability, reduce overtime through adequate staffing and focus on key initiatives such as the Transit Effectiveness Project.

Granite JV awarded $56 million Arizona streetcar project

Granite Construction Incorporated, in a joint-venture with Old Pueblo Trackworks, comprising Granite and RailWorks Track Systems, has been awarded a $56 million contract by the city of Tucson, Airz., to build the first federally-funded streetcar project in more than 60 years. Granite will book its share, approximately $29 million, into backlog during the first quarter of 2012.

Ground breaks to eliminate major bottleneck in Missouri

A groundbreaking in Osage, Mo., has taken place for a new railroad bridge that will eliminate one of the worst rail bottlenecks in the country. The $28 million project received $22.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program.

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