CP awards Parsons-LifeSpan structural monitoring contract

Parsons has been awarded a contract by Canadian Pacific for the structural monitoring and advanced condition assessment of its La Crosse Rail Bridge. The bridge was one of the first 15 bridges built across the Mississippi River and it spans between La Crescent, Minn., and La Crosse, Wis.

APTA: Public transportation ridership surged in first quarter

Public transportation ridership surged in the first quarter of 2012, as Americans took nearly 2.7 billion trips, an increase of five percent over the first quarter of last year, according to a report released by the American Public Transportation Association. This was the fifth consecutive quarter of U.S. public transit ridership increase, as 125.7 million more trips were taken than the first quarter of 2011.

LACMTA begins advanced utility relocation work for Crenshaw/LAX light-rail

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has begun the advanced utility relocation work for the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor construction project, which is the first contract awarded under LACMTA’s new Project Labor Agreement, a pact between LACMTA and the building trades to implement a targeted hiring program that will help provide jobs to economically disadvantaged workers.

Caltrans awards funds for California transit projects

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) awarded approximately $350 million in grants to improve public transit across California. An estimated 80 projects will upgrade transit service, purchase eco-friendly buses, modernize transit stations and create jobs throughout the state. The grants are funded through Proposition 1B, the 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, which is providing $3.6 billion over a 10-year period to improve public transit in California.

AECOM to design Toronto’s Air Rail Link spur

AECOM was named lead design subconsultant to a joint venture contracted to design, build and finance a spur line and passenger station as part of Ontario’s Air Rail Link (ARL). The ARL will connect the existing Georgetown GO transit line and link the city’s two busiest transportation hubs – Union Station downtown and Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Protran Technology awarded contract in Brazil

On June 1st, Protran Technology was awarded its first major contract from Brazil’s Belo Horizonte Metro for the “Protracker / PTC” track worker protection overlay system for advance warning of approaching trains.

RailAdvisor.com launches new website

A new website for the railroad industry is now available to the public. RailAdvisor.com was created to offer solutions and to inform the industry of a product, service, event or technical concept. The website is designed with categories for solutions, product/service offerings, contacts, news, railway terminology and forums.