The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded 21 organizations around the country with a share of $19.5 million in grants to support comprehensive planning projects that improve access to public transit.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will air findings on a study to expand regional intercity passenger rail service at three public meetings to be held in Massachusetts and Vermont in September.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will receive $1.25 million for its program to modernize the to Red and Purple Lines in an effort to bolster Chicago’s ability to meet growing demand for transit.
Talks Sept. 10 between Amtrak, Connecticut and federal officials resulted in a pledge to move the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield project forward. However, a plan will not be solidified until the end of the month.
A study regarding a freight bypass rail line between the Canadian Pacific Line (Milton GO Rail corridor) west of Trafalgar Road in Milton and the Canadian National bypass Line at Bramalea has been endorsed by the Mississauga City Council.
Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) has completed four miles of the system’s elevated guideway. The four-mile mark is along Farrington Highway near Leoku Street in Waipahu.
The Indiana Rail Road Company‘s 24 maintenance-of-way employees voted to join the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) on Sept. 2.
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, has released the Draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement for ADOT’s Passenger Rail Corridor Study: Tucson to Phoenix.
CSX made a number of senior management changes, effective immediately, including the resignation of Oscar Munoz, who has been named president and chief executive of United Continental Holdings, Inc.
The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) welcomed three new members to its team.
TNW Corporation (TNW), operator of shortline railways and logistics centers, has hired three and promoted one to managerial roles.
Gary Smith has been named rail sector lead for Stantec’s freight rail team, accountable for growing Stantec’s freight and commuter rail services throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Parsons has been selected by Metra, Chicago’s commuter rail operator, to install Positive Train Control (PTC) on its trains.
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (SCVTA) Montague Light Rail Station in Milpitas has reopened after being closed for five months to allow for modifications to the station for a new pedestrian bridge that will provide a convenient and direct connection between the future Milpitas Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Station and the Montague Light Rail Station.
Union Pacific promoted Wes Lujan to vice president public affairs for the western region and Liisa Stark to assistant vice president public affairs for Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin; both appointments are effective October 1.
Rep. Brad Ashford (D-NE-2) joined representatives from NMC Railway Systems for a tour of the company’s Omaha facility and discussion of public policy priorities for the local business and rail communities.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) submitted the results of its Federal Year 2014 Audit to the Federal Transit Administration.
Elissa Konove, the chief financial officer at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has been named the deputy chief executive officer at Metrolink, effective September 14.
Following extensive input from the public and local governments across the region, the Sound Transit Board identified the projects that will be studied as potential candidates for a November 2016 Sound Transit 3 ballot measure.
Results of studies completed during the coming months will help the board decide which of the projects should be included in a draft ballot measure for more public input early next year. The candidate projects are listed here.
Sound Transit 3 will respond to the strong support across the region for additional mass transit expansions as the region’s population grows by an estimated 1 million residents through 2040. The projected growth is equivalent to adding the current combined populations of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett.
In June and July, Sound Transit received thousands of written comments and survey responses on which projects from the regional transit Long-Range Plan represent the highest priorities. A total of 1,025 people submitted written comments at meetings across the region and by e-mail and mail and more than 70 local governments and organizations sent comment letters. The nearly 25,000 people who took a non-scientific online survey more than doubled the response to 2014 public involvement that guided board actions to update the Long-Range Plan.
Public input reflected strong continuing support for priorities including but not limited to extensions of light-rail to Everett, Tacoma and downtown Redmond; light-rail extensions to Seattle’s Ballard and West Seattle areas and an array of other potential investments including additional light-rail extensionsand Sounder commuter rail services and facilities.
Each of the identified candidate projects will be studied to generate estimates of ridership, capital operating and maintenance costs; travel times and reliability; potential for transit-oriented development and other factors including benefits, needs and potential risks.
As part of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority’s (WMATA) investigation into the cause of an August 6 derailment, a technical incident report has been released.