Aecon consortium selected for Finch West LRT project in Toronto
Mosaic Transit Group has been selected by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario as the preferred proponent for the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Toronto, Ontario.
Rapid Transit/Light Rail
GAO recommends FTA improve guidance to states
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report saying the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) can strengthen its safety oversight by improving the guidance provided to states.
Amtrak outlines summer renewal work
Amtrak will continue its Infrastructure Renewal program at New York Penn Station this summer, performing reconstruction work on The Empire Tunnel and the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, as well as carrying out renewal work on Track 19.
Smart Larkspur extension secures FTA funding
The United States Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded California’s Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (Smart) a $US 22.5M grant to help fund the extension of its Santa Rosa – San Rafael commuter rail line to Larkspur ferry terminal.
SMART union addresses FRA interest in autonomous trains
The International Association of Sheet Metal Air Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers urged union members in an April 9 post on its website to take notice of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has request for information (RFI) about autonomous trains.
APTA taps McCarragher as vice president for Government Affairs
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has announced the appointment of Capitol Hill veteran Ward W. McCarragher as vice president of Government Affairs, effective April 9.
Virginia, Colorado receive FTA SSO certification
Virginia and Colorado have obtained Federal Transit Administration certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) Programs, well in advance of the 2019 deadline.
SEPTA to perform track maintenance on Chestnut Hill East Line
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) crews and contractors are set to perform work starting April 7 as part of a series of projects intended to improve the authority’s service reliability along its Chestnut Hill East Regional Rail Line.
SFMTA approves two-year budget including final Central Subway push
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors has approved the agency’s annual two-year operating budget for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 at $1.2 billion.
LIRR plans tie replacement, PTC and signal testing in early April
The next several weekends ahead will entail work for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) crews on a series of projects to test East Side access signals and positive train control (PTC), in addition to tie replacement work.
SCVTA Board set to approve second phase of BART extension
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (SCVTA) Board of Directors is set to vote at its April 5 meeting on the staff-recommended BART Silicon Valley Phase II extension project description.
MBTA awards Wellington Yard, Orange Line signal system contract
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) has voted to offer a $102.7 million contract to Barletta Heavy Division for work to rebuild its Wellington Rail Yard and upgrade its signal systems.
Seattle: One transit project progresses; another is halted
The transit network in Seattle, Wash., had a good news/bad news situation last week as one light-rail project progressed, while work was halted on a streetcar project.
Ontario preps for expanded GO service
Ontario is adding new stations and performing upgrades across its GO Regional Express Rail (RER) network to prepare for additional all-day, two-way GO train service for commuters in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area.
NTSB’s Sumwalt offers updates on rail at ‘Most Wanted’ midpoint
Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), offered insight on the status of important rail safety changes at the midpoint of the Most Wanted List 2017–2018 cycle in a March 26 blog post.
HNTB’s Mendes a 2018 Shirley A. DeLibero Award recipient
Diana Mendes, AICP, and HNTB Corporation Mid-Atlantic Division president, received the 2018 Shirley A. DeLibero Award at a March 22 event in Washington, D.C.
MTA proposes ‘value capture’ to New York City
New York MTA Chairman Joe Lhota and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio—bitter political enemies since at least 2013, when Democrat De Blasio trounced Republican Lhota 73.2% to 24.3% in the mayoral election—have been battling publicly over the City’s share of funding for New York’s subway system, which is in need of major capital investment.
Omnibus FY18: A little bit of good news for a lot of the rail industry
Congress passed a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill on Thursday, March 22. The president signed the legislation (even though his Twitter activity suggested otherwise) to avoid a government shutdown, but noted his displeasure saying there were elements of the legislation he was not happy about.
NYC Transit plans flood resiliency project for April
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit has announced a flood protection project in the Rockaways intended to strengthen subway infrastructure and make it more resilient in the face of future storms.
Chicago to O’Hare RFP: Musk’s loop concept vs. traditional rail transit
Two teams have been chosen to compete for work to design, build, finance and operate Chicago’s O’Hare Express operating system.