Another OC Bridges grade crossing moves to the completed column
The $64-million Sand Canyon Undercrossing Project in Irving, Calif., part of Orange County Transportation Authority’s (OCTA) OC Bridges program, is now open.
Bridges/Tunnels
Etherton to serve as interim AREMA chief
Larry Etherton, PE, retired director engineering, Norfolk Southern and former president of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), has assumed the role of interim executive director and chief executive officer of AREMA.
Caltrain Board approves capital budget
Caltrain’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a $43.6-million capital budget, which will provide funding for bridge repair work in San Mateo, new safety improvements on the rail system and station modifications to allow for longer trains.
Tanana River Bridge, Alaska’s longest, completed
The Tanana River Bridge in Fairbanks, Alaska, the longest in the state, has been completed on time and on budget, according to Gov. Sean Parnell.
New rail bridge in Pennsylvania to be dedicated next week
The Susquehanna Economic Development Association-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Joint Rail Authority (JRA) will dedicate the newly constructed Loyalsock Creek Railroad Bridge August 13.
Report outlines short-term fixes to better Walk Bridge
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) released a report outlining recommendations for short-term fixes to improve the reliability of the New Haven Line’s Walk Railroad Bridge in Norwalk, Conn.
North Carolina, Ohio crossings to see upgrades
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved four highway-rail grade crossing projects in Marion, Holmes, Shelby and Huron counties.
Current, former DOT secretaries write letter to Congress urging action on transportation needs
As Congress considers legislation to avoid a shortfall of the Highway Trust Fund, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and 11 of his predecessors wrote an open letter to Congress.
Administration’s Build America Transportation Investment Center to offer financing options for transportation projects
President Obama spoke at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware on July 17 to announce a new executive action to create the Build America Investment Initiative, a government-wide initiative to increase infrastructure investment and economic growth by engaging with state and local governments and private sector investors to encourage collaboration, expand the market for public-private partnerships (PPPs) and put federal credit programs to greater use.
AECOM to acquire URS Corporation
AECOM Technology Corporation and URS Corporation have executed a definitive agreement under which AECOM will acquire URS.
Illinois grade separation project awarded funds
More than $25.5 million in state capital investments has been awarded for a major grade separation project in Aurora, Ill. The project will improve traffic flow and safety at the U.S. Route 34 and Canadian National crossing and create 370 jobs.
“Soon motorists on Ogden Avenue won’t have to wait for passing trains at this heavily traveled crossing,” Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said. “This grade separation project will make it easier and safer to travel in Aurora and create jobs for our hardworking residents to help drive Illinois’ economy forward.”
A bridge carrying U.S. Route 34 (Ogden Avenue) will be built over the Canadian National tracks. The project will include retaining walls, new pavement, noise abatement and traffic signals. Herlihy Mid-Continent Company of Romeoville was the lowest of seven bidders for the job with a quote of $25,523,407. Construction will begin this summer and will be managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The average daily traffic volume along U.S. Route 34 at the CN crossing is 31,200 vehicles per day with an average of 42 trains per day. Based on an Environmental Impact Statement, this crossing experiences a total vehicle delay of nearly 73 hours per day. The project will eliminate those delays and reduce the potential for train, vehicle and bicycle accidents by eliminating the at-grade crossing. The work will also enhance emergency vehicle response times in Aurora and the surrounding communities.
The Aurora project is part of Governor Quinn’s $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years.
JLP awarded $7-mllion contract
J.L. Patterson & Associates, Inc. (JLP), has been awarded a $7 million contract by the North County Transit District to provide bridge inspection and management services for the district’s major bridge structures.
CSX completes maintenance jamboree
Earlier this month, more than 525 CSX employees worked to complete the company’s 2014 maintenance “Jamboree” on a section of its network in the Southeast, replacing about 68,000 ties and 200,000 feet of rail and completing nearly 120 miles of surfacing work.
GO Transit marks West Toronto Diamond grade separation progress
GO Transit’s West Toronto Diamond (WTD) continues its progress and marked a milestone in May when the east tunnel opened to rail traffic.
LACMTA signs Regional Connector contract; awards contract for double track design
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) has signed a contract with a joint venture for the construction of the Regional Connector, as well as awarded a design contract for a Metrolink double track project.
OCTA completes Kraemer Boulevard grade separation
Kraemer Boulevard is now open to traffic as Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) puts finishing touches on a new grade separation that separates car traffic from the busy freight rail line that now travels overhead.
Optimizing capital planning, asset management topic of Railway Age/RT&S free webinar
It is no secret that rail infrastructure is expensive to maintain and, for North American transit agencies, many of which are working with strained budgets, every dollar spent on a maintenance program must stretch as far as it can go.
CTC allocates more than $113 million to rail-related projects
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $510 million to 83 transportation projects, including upwards of $113 million for rail-related projects.
MassDOT Board approves South Coast Rail project management contract
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Board of Directors has awarded a $210-million contract for the South Coast Rail Project to Vanasee Hangen Brustlin/HNTB Corporation, officially moving the project from planning into construction.
INRD kicks off bridge project; welcomes “new” ballast cars
The Indiana Rail Road (INRD) outlines a new bridge project that will get underway in July and details its new and rebuilt fleet of ballast cars in the latest edition of its newsletter, “Mileposts.”