FCC proposes streamlined tribal review process for PTC antennas

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed an alternative process for 565 federally recognized Native American tribes to review positive train control (PTC) antennas in a public notice posted on the FCC website Jan. 29.

Charlotte City Council approves streetcar funds; awards Blue Line contract

Charlotte, N.C., City Council approved authorization of $12 million during its January 27 meeting to advance CityLYNX Gold Line Phase 2 project and stay on track to meet current and future goals.

TriMet makes implementing audit’s safety recommendations priority

TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane responded to the release of the Oregon secretary of state’s audit, thanking the team of auditors for their diligence during their review of the agency’s finances, transparency and operations.

Second SFMTA Central Subway TBM continues to progress

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) says the Central Subway‘s second tunnel boring machine (TBM) will soon pass beneath Powell Street Station and the existing Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Muni Metro tunnels, passing under Market Street from SoMa into Union Square.

When the Central Subway opens, the new tunnels will allow T Third Line trains to travel quickly beneath 4th Street and Stockton Street, cutting transit travel times by more than half along this busy corridor.

Jack Stephens named SFRTA interim executive director

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Governing Board named Jack Stephens interim executive director. He replaces Joseph Giulietti, who is leaving SFRTA at the end of January to become president of Metro-North Railroad in New York City. Stephens has served as the SFRTA’s deputy executive director since May 2003.

LIRR ridership jumped two percent in 2013

A surge in train travel during the last three months of 2013 helped boost Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) ridership for the second year in a row with the LIRR recording a two percent jump in passenger rides over 2012 totals.

Initial recommendations released for RTD’s Northwest Area Mobility Study

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver, Colo., held three public meetings in January to seek input and provide an update on the Northwest Area Mobility Study (NAMS).

Jacobs awarded contract from Volpe Center to support FRA

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. was awarded a contract from the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) to provide monitoring and technical assistance for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant and loan Program.

Stacy and Witbeck now accepting proposals for Detroit streetcar construction

With critical utility relocation work underway for the Detroit, Mich., Woodward Avenue streetcar project, M-1 Rail‘s construction manager, Stacy and Witbeck, Inc., is now seeking proposals from local contractors and suppliers for construction.

FRA issues final rule concerning rail-flaw detection processes

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a rule in the Jan. 24 edition of The Federal Register, amending the Federal Track Safety Standards to promote the safety of railroad operations by enhancing rail-flaw detection processes.

DART kicks off construction of South Oak Cliff Three Line extension

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officials and city staff celebrated the start of the DART South Oak Cliff Three Line extension January 24.

BART enters Sister Agency Agreement with Shanghai Metro

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed to develop a sister transit agency affiliation with Shanghai Metro, the subway system in Shanghai, China.

BART says such an affiliation will benefit both urban rapid transit systems and their customers by the mutual sharing of experiences, challenges and solutions.

MTA receives first reimbursement for Sandy-related repairs

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has received more than $886 million in federal aid to help cover costs associated with repairs from Superstorm Sandy, primarily in the Montague, Greenpoint and Steinway subway tunnels, and to make New York’s transportation system more resilient to any future storms.

NYCT to begin next found of repairs to Flushing Line in February

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) will begin the latest round of ongoing work to modernize, improve and fortify NYCT’s Flushing 7 Line in February.

NTSB closes another WMATA safety recommendation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has closed another safety recommendation, which advised the transit agency to develop a program to periodically determine that the electronic components in Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) train control system are performing within design tolerances. NTSB has now closed 21 of its 29 recommendations for WMATA.

LACMTA begins construction of Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project

Construction began January 21 on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, an 8.5-mile, $2.058-billion light-rail line that will run between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) Expo and Green lines and is expected to open in 2019.

Metro Transit to open Green Line June 14

Metro Transit will begin service on the Twin Cities’ Green Line light rail on June 14, 2014. The new light rail between Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., is opening nearly six months earlier than required by the Federal Transit Administration, which is funding half the $957-million project, which is on budget.

BART to begin testing Oakland Airport Connector

Test vehicles will soon be traveling on the Oakland Airport Connector (OAC) tracks above Hegenberger Road in Oakland, Calif., as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) project moves into one of the final phases before the anticipated opening for service this fall. The first of the new test vehicles was unveiled recently at the OAC wheelhouse.

CTA to benefit from funding of Core Capacity Program

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05) said that as the only transit system currently accepted into the Federal Transit Administration’s Core Capacity Program, the Chicago Transit Authority is poised to benefit from the infusion of funding included in the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations bill,

Federal spending bill includes $250 million for Honolulu’s rail project

According to Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) officials, the $1.1-trillion federal spending bill that President Obama signed late last week will provide $250 million for the Honolulu transit-rail project.

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