San Diego MTS

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.

Transit Briefs: LOSSAN Rail Corridor, Clean California, Conn. State Bond Commission, Ottawa LRT

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation incorporating climate resiliency into Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor planning. Also, California announces $114.5 million in Clean California grants; the Connecticut State Bond Commission announces $398.1 in state funding approved for the Northeast Corridor (NEC) Match Program and $15 million for New Haven Station improvements; and the Ottawa LRT north-south expansion line is delayed until spring 2024.

CTA has released a Request for Proposals to the three pre-selected contracting teams that demonstrated the ability to design and build the $3.6 billion Red Line Extension in a Request for Qualifications process that began last year. (CTA Rendering)

Transit Briefs: CTA, Minn. Met Council, San Diego MTS, SBCTA, WMATA

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) to build Red Line Extension track structure and stations, and hits the ridership “million mark” on multiple days, a post-pandemic first. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council announces a grant agreement that will fund work on the Metro Transit Blue Line extension project through 2024; San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s (MTS) Board signs off on measures to improve operations, accessibility and security; San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) takes delivery of the ZEMU (Zero-Emissions Multiple Unit) from Stadler; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) delays until next year the full switch to automatic train operations (ATO).

San Diego Electric Railway PCC streetcar on Route 2 travels eastbound on Broadway between 12th Ave. and 13th St. in the late 1940s. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of San Diego MTS)
Commentary

San Diego MTS: Take a Ride Down Memory Lane

The San Diego Trolley rode the rails for the first time back in 1981. In celebration of the Trolley’s 42nd anniversary, we’re taking a peek back at the history of the Trolley and how it all began.

$5.15 billion in “bridge funding” has been proposed in the California Senate for public transit agencies over the next five years. (InvadingInvader Wikimedia Commons)

Transit Briefs: CA Public Transit, MARTA, MBTA, Metrolinx, Miami-Dade County, San Diego MTS

California transit officials and their state legislative supporters are seeking $5.15 billion to maintain services over the next five years. Also, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) celebrates College Park rail station improvements; a new study finds that flooding costs to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) could more than double by 2030, to $58 million per year; Metrolinx unveils a new website for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s GO Transit; Florida’s Miami-Dade County revives commuter rail plan; and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) approves a $174 million capital improvement program.

Pictured left to right: Jason Jewell, Managing Director, Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency; Brian Riley, Chief Operating Officer of Rail, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS); and Jacqueline Peduzzi, Vice President and Business Unit Leader, STV.
  • News

People News: LOSSAN, San Diego MTS, STV, ASLRRA, WSP USA

Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency appoints Jason Jewell as Managing Director. Also, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) promotes Brian Riley to Chief Operating Officer of Rail; and engineering firm STV names Jacqueline Peduzzi Vice President and Business Unit Leader. Paul Howard “Howard” Croft Jr., former President of the American Short Line Railroad Association (now ASLRRA), has died. James “Jim” L. Lammie, former President, CEO and Non-Executive Chairman of Parsons Brinckerhoff (now WSP), died Nov. 9.

San Diego MTS and Affirmed Housing have broken ground on a new five-story transit-oriented housing development featuring 124 studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom units reserved for households earning 30%-60% of the area median income. (Rendering Courtesy of Studio E Architects)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, San Diego MTS, Metrolinx

Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger rail operator, has ordered revenue management software from Accelya. Also, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and Affirmed Housing have broken ground on a new transit-oriented housing development located at the Grantville Trolley Station; and Metrolinx is naming the 11-mile, 19-station Hurontario Light Rail Transit project as the Hazel McCallion Line.

MTS Trolley, which launched in 1981, is now a 54.3-mile system with four lines (UC San Diego Blue, Orange, Sycuan Green, and SDG&E Silver) and 54 stations. (Photo: Courtesy of Siemens Mobility)

For San Diego MTS, $140.4MM ARP Grant

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded the San Diego (Calif.) Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) a $140.4 million grant under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021.

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