Voters in two Massachusetts cities, New Bedford and Fall River, have voted to join the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in allowing the agency to move forward with its South Coast Rail project. Also, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA) opens new Muni metro station in the heart of Union Square and announces that it will switch over to a new, upgraded software system.
Seventy-five years ago, San Francisco’s cable cars were viewed as more of a costly nuisance. A few city leaders wanted to tear out the 1870s-era transit system of wooden vehicles towed by an underground cable system. Pioneer of civic activism, Friedel Klussmann led the charge to preserve this moving landmark that draw visitors from around the world looking to fulfill their dream of riding the cable car over our hills.
The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) seeks input on its Five-Year Service Plan. Also, Iowa City Council approves the purchase of properties for potential Chicago to Iowa City route; San Francisco Muni to upgrade city streets with 1,500 new digital signs and boost tunnel wi-fi; the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) reveals a sneak peek of the new Chinatown-Rose Pak Muni station; the Regional Transportation District (RTD) releases FY 2023 proposed budget; the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) releases proposed 2023 operating budget; Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) allots $14 million to build second Petaluma station; and Metrolink announces that weekend trains along the Orange County and Inland Empire-Orange County lines will resume service starting Oct. 29.
![“Since arriving at MARTA, Collie [Greenwood, pictured,] has shown a tremendous knowledge of transit and capacity for leadership and innovation, while always keeping the customer front and center,” MARTA Board Chair Rita Scott said. “His rapid promotion to second-in-command demonstrated his ability to do the job well, and his steady, skilled leadership this year has further demonstrated that he is the best person to lead us as we navigate a post-pandemic world and embark on an historic enhancement and expansion program.”](https://www.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Marta-300x169.png)
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will later this month confirm the appointment of Collie Greenwood as General Manager/CEO. Also, the Ontario government on Oct. 6 marked the start of construction on the Confederation GO station in Hamilton, part of Metrolinx’s GO Expansion program; and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) explains Proposition L and why voters should approve it on Nov. 8.
In September, our sister agency San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, celebrated its 50th anniversary. BART service changed transportation in the Bay Area forever, connecting communities in a way that hadn’t been done before. For San Francisco, the construction of BART not only provided new travel options within the city and to the East Bay, but also built the Muni Metro system.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) on Sept. 20 announced that, beginning Nov. 19, a soft launch of the Central Subway Project, an extension of the T Third Line, will open with dedicated shuttle service on weekends between 4th and Brannan Station to Chinatown/Rose Park Station, stopping along the way at Yerba Buena and Union Square where passengers can make transfers to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service and the Market Street subway.
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) supports National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 20). Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) issues a Student Edition of its Rider’s Guide; Chicago’s Metra extends its $100 flat-rate monthly pass through year-end; San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) remains “optimistic” about Muni’s Central Subway extension opening in 2022; New York MTA trains and buses are now “mask optional” for riders; Metro Vancouver’s TransLink launches “Back-to-School, Back-to-Transit” campaign; and Utah Transit Authority (UTA) provides free transit passes to all K-12 students, faculty and staff in the Salt Lake City School District.
Amtrak Cascades service to Vancouver, B.C., is resuming this month. Also, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has released a combined Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Record of Decision (ROD) for Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Red Line Extension Project; the Gateway rail tunnel project price tag has risen to $16.1 billion, with a new construction start-date of 2024; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) has expanded its student fareless pass program; San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has launched the MuniSafe campaign; Northern California’s Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) marked its fifth anniversary last month; and VIA Rail Canada has released its second-quarter 2022 report.
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) are among the eight California agencies that will share $378.9 million in TIRCP (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) grants from CalSTA (California State Transportation Agency) for rail-related projects.
The $400 million Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond, Proposition A, has been voted down, the San Francisco (Calif.) Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) reported on June 21.
