(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)

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

NYMTA’s ‘The Future Rides With Us’ Not ‘An Arbitrary Budget Target’

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s “The Future Rides With Us” 20-Year Needs Assessment study is riding on the number 15 followed by 11 zeros: $1.5 trillion, the figure the agency assigns

Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure, has debuted legislation proposing that municipalities fund the design and construction of new GO Transit stations, according to The Canadian Press.

Transit Briefs: GO Transit, NYPD/NYMTA, PennDOT, REM

Ontario, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure eyes a new way of funding GO Transit stations. Also, an autonomous security robot will report for duty in the New York City Subway; Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Norfolk Southern (NS) finalize an agreement to expand Amtrak Pennsylvanian passenger rail service; and noise mitigation measures are being implemented on Réseau express métropolitain in Montreal.

Amtrak on Sept. 21 celebrated the $1.4 million renovation of its Missouri River Runner-served station in Jefferson City. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MBTA, NYMTA, SMART

Amtrak completes $1.4 million station-accessibility upgrade project in Jefferson City, Mo. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) schedules fall service shutdowns for maintenance work; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reports post-pandemic subway ridership records and releases a Request for Information for subway platform cooling technologies; and Petaluma, Calif., receives $30.2 million for affordable housing at the future Petaluma North SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) Station.

New York MTA has received a strengthened credit rating outlook from Moody’s Investors’ Service, which amended the outlook of its A3 rating for MTA’s Transportation Revenue Bonds rating to “positive” from “stable.”

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, SacRT

Moody’s Investors’ Service ups the credit rating outlook for New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Also, the state of California has awarded Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) $4.4 million for three transportation infrastructure projects.

NYMTA photo

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, NFTA, PRT

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) combats “subway stupidity.” Also, Amtrak resumes service on the Adirondack Line; Tri-Rail takes added safety measures as it heads to downtown Miami; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) launches a new MetGo app; and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) deploys mobile ticketing and validators across light rail powered by Masabi.

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