Metra meets on-time goal for 13th consecutive month

Chicago’s Metra completed its 13th straight month of meeting or exceeding its on-time performance goal in March 2016, posting an on-time performance rate of 96.8 percent for the month. The rate exceeded the five-year average for the month of March of 96.3 percent.

Gov. Nathan Deal signs MARTA expansion legislation

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has signed S.B. 369, a bill that empowers the city of Atlanta to hold a fall ballot referendum asking voters to support a half-penny sales tax to expand the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system.

CDPQ Infra proposes new LRT linking downtown Montréal, South Shore, West Island, North Shore and the airport

CDPQ Infra, a subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, unveiled plans for its Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM), an integrated, public transportation project.

Miami proposes six new urban rail lines

The Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) adopted a resolution on April 21, 2016 endorsing the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) plan, which envisages the construction of six new urban rail lines in Miami-Dade County.

Construction begins on Sound Transit’s East Link light-rail extension

On April 22, federal, state and local officials celebrated the start of construction of Sound Transit’s East Link light-rail extension connecting Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond’s Overlake area and Microsoft campus.

South Shore taps double-track dollars

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) Board of the Directors took another step toward expanding commuter access to Chicago with a $1.6-million matching grant to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) to help fund $4 million in preliminary engineering and environmental work for the South Shore double tracking project.

First phase of Denver Eagle P3 open for business

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver on April 22 began University of Colorado A Line commuter rail service from downtown Denver to Denver International Airport. The line is among the nation’s first transit projects built by a public-private partnership and is a part of an ambitious transit expansion plan for the eight-county metropolitan area.

THUD allocates $56.5 billion to fund transportation

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development passed $56.5 billion legislation to fund its programs for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, including several allocations for rail.

El Paso streetcar receives first shipment of rail

The first shipment of steel rail on which the streetcars in El Paso, Texas, will run has arrived; about 900 pieces will be used throughout the entire project. Each length of rail is 59 feet long and weighs approximately 2,300 pounds.

J-Track LLC names Dorris VP/GM of new Central Division

J-Track LLC will open a new railroad construction and maintenance company in the Chicagoland area on May 1. The new company, J-Track LLC Central Division, will be led by Vice President and General Manager, Bill Dorris.

Panama monorail line to be financed by Japan

The Republic of Panama has signed an agreement with the Japanese government valued at US$2.6 billion to fund the construction of Line 3 of Panama’s Metro, the largest project in Panama since the expansion of the Panama Canal. The monorail system will be the first to use Japanese technology in the Americas.

Parsons adds Abruzzo as rail bridge leader

Parsons has hired Joseph Abruzzo as its railroad bridge practice leader, where he will be responsible for directing the pursuit and execution of railroad bridge projects worldwide.

NYCT installs composite ties as part of Staten Island project

As Earth Day approaches and as part of recommendations from a blue-ribbon commission tasked with reducing the impact of public transit on the environment, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) has installed approximately 6,500 sustainable composite ties in a major Staten Island Railway (SIR)

MTA to expand sleep apnea screening of employees

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has decided to expand its successful sleep apnea testing program for employees.

Tunnel initial winner of Calgary Green LRT evaluation

The Green Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project team has completed the first stage of evaluation for the project’s Centre City alignment in Calgary, AB, Canada.

Wabtec lands NICTD PTC contract

Wabtec Corporation signed a contract to provide equipment and services for a Positive Train Control (PTC) system to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD).

FTA updates Congress on WMATA Metrorail safety oversight

The Federal Transit Authority (FTA) provided an update to its safety oversight of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) system during a hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Silver Line

Construction on Silver Line Phase 2 to ramp up

Construction on Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, a.k.a. the Silver Line, is about to head into a busy period as the project hits the 30 percent complete mark.

AECOM awarded Hurontario LRT technical advisory contract

AECOM has been selected to provide technical advisory services on the Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT) project in Mississauga and Brampton, Ontario, Canada and the Hamilton LRT project in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, for Metrolinx.

Ontario partners with Thales in Canada to advance rail signal solutions

Ontario is partnering with Thales in Canada to develop the next generation of railway signaling solutions, which is expected to improve transit safety, efficiency and create jobs.

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