View of the station entrance off Royal York Road from street level. Artist’s rendering, subject to change. (Vandyk Properties image)

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, PANYNJ, St. Louis MetroLink, Calgary Green Line LRT, SEPTA, BCT

Metrolinx moves forward on transit-oriented community at Mimico GO Station. Also, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) reports that quarterly PATH ridership climbed to 59% of pre-pandemic first-quarter 2019; MetroLink’s Secure Platform Plan progresses; Calgary’s Green Line names Bow Transit Connectors as Development Partner; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) shares progress on strategic plan; and Broward County Transit (BCT) launches multi-billion-dollar Premium Mobility Plan (PREMO).

NJT, SEPTA, Metro-North at 40

RAILWAY AGE, APRIL 2023 ISSUE: Imagine going back 40 years to early 1983. The only passenger trains running along much of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) were operated by Amtrak itself. Otherwise, what

No BART rider will wait more than 20 minutes for a scheduled train no matter what hour of the day or day of the week starting Sept. 11.

Transit Briefs: BART, DART, LACMTA, NYMTA, SEPTA

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) will roll out a new service schedule this fall that reflects post-pandemic commute patterns. Also, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) upgrades its rail and bus seating; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) extends its free-fare pilot for K-14 students; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) receives a bailout package under a tentative New York State budget agreement, suspends Twitter use for service updates, and celebrates an internship program partnership; and Southeastern Pennsylvania Rapid Transit Authority (SEPTA) awards a design contract for ADA improvements on the Board Street Line.

The FRA recently concluded a series of six working group meetings “to inform and collaborate” with stakeholders across the country on the department’s Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak/FRA, MBTA, SEPTA, Rogers

Common themes emerge from the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) stakeholder meetings studying the restoration and expansion of Amtrak long-distance passenger rail services. Also, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) purchases Widett Circle for a new commuter rail layover yard; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) issues a proposed FY 2024 capital budget and 12-year program; and Rogers Communications plans to bring full 5G connectivity services to the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) subway system.

Brightline, Siemens and Herzog plan to employ 150 highly skilled technical positions at Basecamp, Brightline’s new $100 million state-of-the-art train maintenance facility that can service up to 16 trains at a time. (Screen grab courtesy of Brightline)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, Northern Lights Express, Tri-Rail, SEPTA

Brightline teams with Valencia College to bring highly skilled jobs to Central Florida. Also, Minnesota is closer than ever to funding the proposed Northern Lights Express (NLX); Tri-Rail ridership continues upward trend in first quarter 2023; and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) releases proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget.

The MBTA has launched a Speed Restrictions Dashboard that will provide riders with up-to-date information on speed restrictions across the agency's system. (Image Courtesy of MBTA)

Transit Briefs: MBTA, SEPTA, TTC, VIA Rail, NJ Transit, BART, PANYNJ

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) launches online Speed Restrictions Dashboard; awards contract for major track and signal upgrades at South Station; and invites public comment on the proposed Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2024-2028. Also, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) awards design contract for Broad Street Line ADA Improvement project and approves proposal to install new fare gates; the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) formerly ends token sales; VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) improves diversity and inclusion policies; NJ Transit advances improvements at Mahwah Station; Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) moves forward with purchase of fare gates to be installed systemwide; and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) advances plan to replace AirTrain Newark with selection of three firms as part of multi-phase procurement process.

Commentary

FTA KO’s Keystone State’s KOPs Rail

A controversial transit project near Philadelphia has attracted controversy since it was first proposed more than a half-century ago, but it has apparently not attracted enough funding. It’s the King of Prussia

SEPTA’s King of Prussia Rail project would have extended the existing Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) four miles into King of Prussia, providing a “one-seat” ride from any station along the NHSL. (SEPTA Rendering)

SEPTA: KOP Rail Project on Hold

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is sidelining the King of Prussia Rail Project, citing its “further review of rising costs, which have been exacerbated by inflation and high interest rates.” This follows

Transit Briefs: NYMTA/LIRR, SEPTA

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) rolls out modifications to Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Grand Central Madison train service. Also, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) officials express concern about the quality of work performed by China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. (CRRC).

The Honolulu Civil Beat on Feb. 27 reported that the Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Committee approved Senate Bill 176, extending “the excise tax surcharge for rail to raise more money for the cash-strapped” and much-delayed HART Honolulu Rail System project.

Transit Briefs: HART, LACMTA, NHDOT, NYMTA, SEPTA

A Hawaii Senate Committee mistakenly passes a rail tax extension that would raise funding for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART). Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) ridership is up 12% compared with a year ago; a draft study for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) finds that commuter rail service between Boston and Manchester, N.H., would cost $782 million to build; Transit Wireless expands its partnership with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA); and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General (USDOT OIG) will audit Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) compliance with Buy America requirements for rolling stock.

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