NYCT reopens Greenpoint Tube following five-week closure for repairs

Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit (NYCT) G Line service was restored on September 2 after a five-week suspension between Court Square and Nassau Avenue for maintenance crews to make Fix&Fortify resiliency repairs to the tubes, which were flooded and badly damaged during Superstorm Sandy nearly two years ago.

MBTA opens Assembly Orange Line Station

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) opened the Assembly Orange Line station, the first new MBTA station in 27 years, on September 2. MBTA said the station is a key element in the creation of a transit-oriented development at Assembly Row, providing a vital transit link between Assembly Row and Boston.

Minneapolis approves Southwest LRT

The Minneapolis City Council granted the Southwest light-rail transit project municipal consent, allowing the Metropolitan Council to seek approval from the federal government to enter Final Engineering. Hennepin County and the cities of Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Hopkins and St. Louis Park all provided municipal consent to the project previously.

Chicago-St. Louis HSR receives a $102-million investment

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program will make a $102-million investment to improve system performance and reliability on a key segment of the Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed rail line.

CTA to perform renovations on Blue Line station

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will close the California Blue Line station for 42 days beginning Thursday, September 4, for major renovations as part of the “Your New Blue” modernization program for the O’Hare branch of the Blue Line. The station is scheduled to re-open October 16.

Scanlon retiring as head of San Mateo County Transit District

Michael J. Scanlon, who has led the San Mateo County Transit District for the past 15 years, is retiring. The Transit District is an administrative body that holds jurisdiction over SamTrans bus service, Caltrain commuter rail and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority.

GCRTA opens Cedar-University Rapid Station

Officials from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) joined local Cleveland officials, as well as representatives from the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority on Aug. 28 for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Cleveland’s Cedar-University Rapid Station.

MTA’s Blue Ribbon Panel makes final recommendations

A Blue Ribbon Panel of transportation experts studying safety and maintenance practices at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) three railroad operations – Metro-North Railroad, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and New York City Transit (NYCT) – has released its final recommendations for improvement, including creating better data systems to monitor track conditions, adjusting schedules to provide more time for track work and bolstering the safety culture at Metro-North.

Springfield Rail Improvements Project begins with grade separation

Local and federal officials gathered on Thursday, August 21, 2014, for a ground-breaking ceremony of a underpass at Carpenter Street in Springfield, Ill. The grade separation is part of a larger rail project that will consolidate rail traffic and improve safety as part of the Chicago to St. Louis high-speed corridor.

Met Council receives federal OK to begin design of Blue Line extension

The Metropolitan Council received federal approval to begin designing the METRO Blue Line Extension northwest of Minneapolis, Minn., the region’s fourth light-rail transit project. Future approvals needed include approval to enter Final Engineering (anticipated late 2016) and approval of the Full Funding Grant Agreement (anticipated in 2018).

LACMTA released DEIS for proposed Eastside rail extension

A Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) on a proposed extension of the Gold Line light-rail system from East Los Angeles to either South El Monte or Whittier was released by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA).

Exemptions expanded in FRA’s final PTC rule

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published its final rule concerning Positive Train Control (PTC) systems in the Aug. 22 Federal Register. The rule, which takes effect Oct. 21, 2014, expands certain exemptions and comes 16 months before the full implementation deadline of Dec. 31, 2015.

Waterloo light-rail project breaks ground

The Region of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, celebrated the start of ION Stage 1 Light Rail Transit (LRT) construction August 21. The event took place at the future home of ION’s Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility on Dutton Drive.

Feds close on $1.28 billion TIFIA loan to MWAA for Silver Line Phase Two

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) closed a $1.28-billion Transportation Infrastructure Financial Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) for construction of Phase Two of the Metrorail Silver Line extension.

Massachusetts to purchase rail line for Knowledge Corridor project

The commonwealth of Massachusetts plans to purchase the Knowledge Corridor rail line between East Northfield and Springfield from Pan Am Southern, a joint venture of Pan Am and Norfolk Southern.

LACMTA prepares for Blue Line station and track overhaul

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) will begin work on a major upgrade and modernization of the Blue Line in downtown Long Beach September 20.

Next phase of LIRR’s Massapequa Station improvements scheduled

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) $40-million improvement project at Massapequa Station will enter its next phase August 25 with work shifting to the station’s east end.

Hennepin County approves design for Southwest LRT

The Hennepin County Board completed its municipal approval process for preliminary design plans for the Southwest light-rail transit project, in voting to approve the portion of those plans serving the city of Minneapolis.

SCVTA plans for receipt of $39 million for BART Silicon Valley project

On August 20, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) is expected to receive the sixth and final allocation from the state of California’s Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP) for SCVTA’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley project.

DART begins Orange Line service to DFW

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officially launched light-rail passenger service August 18, connecting downtown Dallas to DFW Airport with the arrival of DART Orange Line trains into the DFW Airport Station.

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