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Transit Briefs: NYMTA, DART, MBTA, CATS

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) transition to “tap and go” payment system, One Metro New York (OMNY), may take until June 2025. Also, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will provide free transportation to polling locations on Nov. 8; the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) expands Pay-Per-Use limited fare program to local employers; and the City of Charlotte approves $14.8 million to expand Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) rail yard.

Gov. Hochul, MTA Chief Executive Officer Janno Lieber, and Demetrius Crichlow, Senior Vice President of NYCT Subways tour a 7 train with newly installed high- resolution security cameras at the Corona Maintenance Facility in Queens, Tuesday Sept. 20, 2022. Eventually, all 6,500-plus subway cars in the NYCT system will be outfitted with two high resolution video cameras to ensure safety for straphangers. (Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, LA Metro, OKC Streetcar, RTD, Boston’s South Station, Metro-North, LIRR

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to install security cameras in every subway car. Also, LA Metro releases new photos of the K Line’s Hyde Park Station artwork; the OKC Streetcar reaches one million rider milestone; the Regional Transportation District (RTD) closes financial transaction reducing its annual debt service by more than $144 million over 200 years; officials celebrate the next chapter in the redevelopment of Boston’s South Station; and Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) will get their own police detail.

Receiving grants are: Metrolink operator Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA; $12.5 million); Tri-Rail operator Southern Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA; $12.9 million); New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad ($4.4 million); NYSDOT and MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) ($14.9 million); and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA; $15 million).

USDOT Awards $59MM for Commuter Rail Grade Crossing Improvements

Five commuter rail agencies will receive a total of $59 million in grants for highway-rail grade crossing improvements in California, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The awards are part of round two of the Commuter Authority Rail Safety Improvement (CARSI) Grants Program.

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Rail Safety Briefs: OLI, OL Canada, CN, Metro-North Railroad, LIRR

Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) urges public to help stop track tragedies during Rail Safety Week (RSW) 2022 and beyond. Also, Operation Lifesaver (OL) Canada joins forces with Thomas & Friends™ to teach kids about rail safety; CN police services mobilize across Canada and the U.S. to raise awareness about rail safety; and Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) announce national campaign to educate public about safety around trains and tracks.

(Photograph Courtesy of Amtrak)

FRA Awards $233MM in SOGR Grants

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Aug. 18 awarded more than $233 million to 11 projects in eight states that will upgrade intercity passenger rail service. The grants are provided under the FY 2021 Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair (SOGR) Program (Partnership Program).

The New York MTA has named Rosemonde Pierre-Louis of the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at New York University (NYU) and Roger Maldonado of Smith Gambrell LLP as Co-Chairs of its Blue-Ribbon Panel to combat fare and toll evasion. (Photograph Courtesy of NYCT)
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People News: AllTranstek, CSX, New York MTA

Steve McCullough, Jim Dinell and Mike Tait have transitioned to new roles at AllTranstek, LLC, a North American third-party, non-asset-based rail fleet management provider. Also, CSX’s Arthur Adams and Norfolk Southern’s (NS) D’Andrae C. Larry have earned spots on Savoy magazine’s 2022 list of Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has appointed two Co-Chairs for its Blue-Ribbon Panel to combat fare and toll evasion.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (center) is joined by MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and Metro-North President/LIRR interim President Catherine Rinaldi at Grand Central Terminal on May 31, 2022 to announce the branding of “Grand Central Madison.” The major capital construction project, previously known as “East Side Access,” brings LIRR service to Grand Central with a new concourse extending west toward Madison Avenue. (Photograph and Caption Courtesy of Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.)

‘Grand Central Madison’ Nearing Completion

MTA Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) $11.1 billion project to bring commuter rail service to Manhattan’s East Side is on track to start later this year. Riders will travel to a new 700,000 square-foot LIRR terminal, which is nearing completion and now called Grand Central Madison, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA officials announced on May 31.

The TriMet Board has approved a $1.93 billion FY 2023 budget.

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, SEPTA, Shore Line East, TriMet, Valley Metro

Metrolinx selected Ricardo Certification to perform safety assessments for the GO Expansion project in Toronto; SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) released three options for its Reimagining Regional Rail project; Connecticut’s Shore Line East commuter rail is now operating M8 Electric Multiple Units (EMU); the Board of Directors for Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) approved the FY 2023 budget; and Valley Metro launched its Tempe (Ariz.) Streetcar system.

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