New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Metrolinx’s East Harbour Transit Hub in Toronto will be located on the Lakeshore East and Stouffville GO Transit rail lines. The station will provide connections to the Ontario Line subway and future Toronto Transit Commission services. (Rendering Courtesy of Metrolinx)

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, Transit Tech Lab, WMATA

The Rail Connect Partners joint venture has entered into an alliance development agreement with Toronto’s Metrolinx for the East Harbour Transit Hub. Also, New York regional transportation agencies launch their sixth-annual tech competition; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) celebrates a transit-oriented development project at the North Bethesda Metro Station in Maryland.

RTD will introduce systemwide lower fares starting Jan. 1. (Denver RTD Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Denver RTD, NJ Transit, NYMTA, LIRR

Denver Regional Transit District (RTD) on Jan. 1 will launch systemwide lower fares. Also, AECOM lands a design contract for New Jersey Transit’s New Brunswick commuter rail station; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NYMTA) is pre-qualifying vendors for new subway system fare gates; and HNTB earns an award for the MTA Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Jamaica Capacity Improvements (JCI) program, Phase 1–Platform F.

Caltrain on Dec. 7 unveiled its fall 2024 schedule for electrified service, which it said includes faster transit times and more frequent service including during weekends. (Caltrain Photograph)

Transit Briefs: BART, Caltrain, CMAP, CTA, NYMTA

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) Board approves a new financial organizational structure. Also, California’s Caltrain releases a service plan for its fall 2024 Electrification Project rollout; Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) delivers to state legislators recommendations for keeping regional transit afloat; Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) wraps up this year’s “Refresh & Renew” project work across 29 rapid transit stations; and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) competes a subway station-accessibility project in Washington Heights.

SacRT in mid-year 2024 will begin introducing a new fleet of low-floor light rail trains from Siemens Mobility.

Transit Briefs: BART/MTC, East-West Rail, Metrolinx, NYMTA, SacRT, San Diego MTS

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) are expanding their unlimited transit pass pilot program. Also, a Massachusetts legislative-panel report finds that MassDOT should run east-west passenger rail; Metrolinx addresses the launch date for Eglinton Crosstown LRT in Toronto; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is considering recommendations for a congestion pricing toll rate schedule; Sacramento (Calif.) Regional Transit District (SacRT) provides a light rail transit-modernization update; and California Transit Association elects San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s (MTS) Sharon Cooney as Chair.

(Photographs Courtesy of FTA, via social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter)

FTA: $343MM Available for Rail Transit Accessibility Projects

Transit agencies may now apply for Fiscal Year 2024 grants to improve subway, commuter rail and light rail system access for people with disabilities and mobility needs. The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) is making available $343 million; applications are due by Jan. 30, 2024.

(Amtrak Photograph)

Watch: Amtrak Releases FY23 Preliminary Results

Amtrak on Nov. 30 reported continued “strong growth” in Fiscal Year 2023 with nationwide ridership up 24.6%, as it resumed service on all routes and advanced infrastructure projects that it said will support plans to double ridership by 2040.

Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad, is planning a new station in the Treasure Coast region. On Oct. 26, it released an RFP to determine the location. (Brightline Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, City of Edmonton, Houston Metro, MassDOT, NYMTA

Brightline launches a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new intercity passenger rail station in Florida’s Treasure Coast region. Also, the long-awaited Valley Line Southeast LRT will open next month in Edmonton, Alberta; Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston Metro) selects Jacobs as a transit-oriented development advisor; Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) applies for U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) SMART grants for rail safety projects; and Fitch upgrades New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) credit rating and rating outlook.

Schumer: $3.4B FTA Grant for SAS Phase 2

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), as he has done previously with other transportation projects in his state, has jumped the gun on a formal announcement by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

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SIR Receives First R211S Cars

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Oct. 18 rolled out a five-car set of “standard” (non-open-gangway) Kawasaki R211S rapid transit cars for service on MTA Staten Island Railway (SIR) beginning