Watch: Biden announces investment in ‘Mega Projects,’ including Concrete Casing for Hudson Yards

NEW YORK – This week, President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that the Biden-Harris Administration has awarded nearly $1.2 billion from the new National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) discretionary grant program for nine projects across the country.

Sacramento Regional Transit District Preps for New Low-Floor Trains

The Sacramento Regional Transit District is starting work on station upgrades to meet the needs of its modern new low-floor light rail trains.

Sound Transit Awards Design-Build Contract for Sumner Station Garage 

The Woodinville-based Harbor Pacific Contractors, Inc. has been awarded a design-build contract by the Sound Transit Board to construct the parking garage at the agency’s Sumner Station.

Amtrak Takes First Step to Re-Equip Long-Distance Network

Amtrak has announced that 10 manufacturers have submitted their ideas on replacement railcars for such overnight routes as Auto Train, California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder and Southwest Chief, marking the “first formal step to completely reequip the Amtrak Long-Distance Network that provides vital service on 14 overnight routes from coast to coast,” the railroad reported Jan. 19.

WMATA to Boost Train Frequency as Pandemic Workforce Shortage Eases

Beginning Feb. 7, customers on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Blue, Blue + (Yellow Line replacement) and Orange lines will see increased train frequency, cutting down service times from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes.

Biden Visits Baltimore Rail Tunnel Replacement Location Set to Modernize Northeast Corridor

President Joe Biden traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, on Jan. 30 to kick off the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel replacement project funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

California Officials Celebrate Groundbreaking for $80M Barstow Bridge Replacement Project

Officials from San Bernardino County, the City of Barstow, and the California Department of Transportation held a groundbreaking ceremony Jan. 26 for an $80 million bridge replacement project: a new First Avenue Bridge.

CTA Awards $23.5M Property Management Contract for Red Line Extension Project

The Chicago Transit Authority recently awarded a new, four-year property maintenance contract with a cap of $23.5 million as part of the Red Line Extension project.

MBTA Announces Service Outages on Multiple Lines for February Work 

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority announced upcoming service changes on Jan. 26 set to take place in February on the Orange, Green, and Red lines as well as the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line.

MBTA to Build $21M New Bedford Pedestrian Bridge

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority and the city of New Bedford reached an agreement Jan. 24 on constructing a $21 million pedestrian bridge as part of a new downtown inter-city rail station being built.

Metrolinx Crews Complete Structural Work on Finch West Station

A new structure has has been completed at the intersection of Finch Avenue West and Keele Street: the new LRT portion of Metrolinx’s Finch West Station.

The Guadalupe River Bridge Replacement Project will replace the Northbound Bridge (MT-1), built in 1935, and extend the Southbound Bridge (MT-2) for passenger and freight rail service.

Caltrain Advances Guadalupe River Bridge Replacement Project

Caltrain on Jan. 31 will host a virtual community meeting on the $63.3 million Guadalupe River Bridge Replacement Project in San Jose, Calif., which will replace the northbound wooden trestle bridge built in 1935 and extend the southbound concrete bridge built in 1990.

" We recognize the significance and urgency within this opportunity to reimagine one of the nation’s busiest travel corridors," said Adam Shaw, Anser Advisory Chief Delivery Officer and Principal P3 Advisor. (Photo: Business Wire)

LA Metro Selects Anser Advisory to Oversee STC Development

LA Metro, in its Oct. 27, 2022, Board of Directors meeting, “unanimously approved” the selection of Anser Advisory to provide program management and pre-development agreement oversight services for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor (STC) project, the nation’s “largest alternative delivery transit project.”

Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC’s new Speed Swing 445F2 rail crane is powered by a fuel-efficient 163-horsepower Cummins QSB4.5 Tier 4 diesel engine.

Pettibone Upgrades Speed Swing Crane

Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC has rolled out the Speed Swing 445F2, an updated version of what it calls “the industry’s original do-it-all rail crane,” which was “developed with customer feedback in mind” and

BMWED Passenger-Rail Groups Merge

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) has announced that members of its Chicago Passenger Federation (CPF) have voted to merge with its United Passenger Rail Federation (UPRF).

Maryland’s Purple Line Work Disrupts Downtown Traffic

The partial closure of the The Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland Transit Administration Silver Spring Transit Center in mid-January gave commuters a sense of the anticipated disruptions that will result from renewed Purple Line work, a local news outlet reported.

Gov. Parson Requests Funding to Improve Rail Crossing Safety After Fatal Collisions

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson requested a new line item in the fiscal year 2024 budget to increase safety measures at railroad crossings during his State of the State address on Jan. 18.

Rhode Island’s Pawtucket-Central Falls Station Launches Service

The new Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center opened for service on Jan. 23.

HART to Take On Rail Repairs in Coming Weeks

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Executive Director and CEO Lori Kahikina told the board of directors on Jan. 20 that the delay in trial runs of the Hitachi Rail trains will end only when a “communications software issue” is resolved.

WMATA Plans Summer 2023 Reliability Upgrades, Service Outages

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced on Jan. 24 that the focus of project work this summer will be system maintenance and modernization.

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