Parsons selected as program management of Arlington Streetcar project

Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia have selected Parsons Transportation Group to help manage Arlington’s streetcar program, which includes the Columbia Pike streetcar segment that the two counties are jointly building.

FASTRACK returns to Manhattan June 2

On June 2, Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit’s (NYCT) FASTRACK program will return to Manhattan stations along the N, Q and R lines. For four consecutive weeknights the N, Q and R trains will not stop at stations in Manhattan.

More Sandy relief funds for NJ Transit, PATH

The Department of Transportation has awarded a combined $235 million in federal grants to repair damage from Superstorm Sandy inflicted on New Jersey Transit and Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rail systems in late October 2012.

Target Field Station multimodal hub opens in Minnesota

In Minneapolis, Minn., Hennepin County recently opened a new multimodal transportation hub named Target Field Station, which connects the Metro Transit Blue and Green lines and Northstar Commuter Rail.

Toronto mayoral candidate has a new transit plan for the city

John Tory, a candidate for mayor of Toronto, ON, Canada, unveiled his One Toronto Transit Plan that he says will help relieve transit and traffic congestion in Toronto within seven years.

SEPTA to perform track renewal along trolley line

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will conduct a track renewal project on a portion of its Route 11 trolley line from June 1-August 30, 2014.

WMATA takes control of Silver Line Phase 1

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority transferred care and control of the first phase of the Silver Line to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) on May 27.

WMATA has up to 90 days for testing and training prior to opening the line for passenger service this summer. The opening date will be set by the WMATA Board of Directors in the near future.

When it opens this summer, Silver Line service will run from Wiehle-Reston East station to Largo Town Center, with trains every six minutes during rush hour and every 12 to 20 minutes at other times. Five new stations will be added to the system: McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill and Wiehle-Reston East.

Work also has begun on Phase 2 of the project, which will connect the system with Herndon, Washington Dulles International Airport and points in Loudoun County, Va.

 

 

Edmonton LRT project gets funding guarantee from Canadian government

The Canadian government has guaranteed up to CA$150 million (US$138 million) for the Valley Line Stage 1 Light Rail Transit expansion project in Edmonton, AB, under the New Building Canada Fund-Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component, bringing the total federal contribution to the project up to CA$400 million (US$386 million).

NYCT says Central Park West FASTRACK a success

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit’s (NYCT) FASTRACK maintenance program came to the A, C, B and D Central Park West line in Manhattan last week. Hundreds of NYCT employees performed a range of cleaning and maintenance tasks of station and tunnel infrastructure, signal equipment and track and third rail components.

Houston METRO moving forward with Hughes Street Overpass to complete Green Line

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston METRO) is taking the Green Line over Hughes Street to connect the line to the Magnolia Transit Center following a favorable vote for an overpass.

Minneapolis Interchange/Target Field Station open for business

The Metro Transit Interchange/Target Field Station multi-modal transportation hub in Minneapolis, which opened May 17, 2014, links light-rail transit, regional rail and bus service and contains a civic space for retailers, an amphitheater and green space.

LACMTA receives FTA grant, TIFIA loan for Purple Line extension

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) was granted $1.25-billion dollars in federal funds, as well as approved for a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Loan to help pay for the Purple Line Extension Project.

Old grant funds transferred to Cincinnati streetcar

Cincinnati’s streetcar project is the unexpected recipient of an extra $268,000 via a rail-related grant Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) received.

Comment period on SCVTA’s Mountain View Double Track Environmental Document begins

The public now has the opportunity to comment on the environmental document for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (SCVTA) project to add a second set of light-rail tracks in Mountain View, Calif.

Arlington County releases new ridership and cost estimates for streetcar projects

By 2035, transit ridership along the Columbia Pike and the Crystal City-Pentagon City corridors is expected to more than double, according to updated ridership forecasts released by Arlington County, Va., with more than 62 percent of projected daily transit trips to be on streetcar versus bus.

Second LYNX Blue Line contract awarded to Balfour Beatty

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. (BBII), was chosen by the city of Charlotte to build the track and systems components of the new Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) LYNX Blue Line Extension, as well as the Blue Line Capacity Expansion Project.

Denver Union Station reopens following revitalization efforts

Denver Union Station reopened on May 9 and is now a multimodal transportation hub that includes a new bus facility and rail connections and will significantly improve transportation options in downtown Denver and beyond.

Ouch: House Appropriations Committee cuts transportation FY 2015 budget by nearly $730 million

The House Appropriations Committee released its Fiscal Year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill. The committee proposal allocates $17.1 billion for the Department of Transportation, $727 million below FY 2014 funding levels.

SCVTA to close two light-rail stations to speed track construction

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) will be shutting down two light-rail stations and the segment of track in between in Santa Clara, Calif., to help speed up construction of the Santa Clara Pocket Track, an extra track that will hold the trains needed to meet the anticipated increases in ridership.

FASTRACK returns to Brooklyn

Beginning May 5, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit’s (NYCT) FASTRACK program will return to the A and C lines in Brooklyn.

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