As part of the Blue-Ribbon Panel's Final Report on Fare Evasion, the New York MTA plans to reimagine its subway fare gate system to "improve accessibility and deter evasion." (MTA photo)

Transit Briefs: VIA Rail, SMART, Austin’s Project Connect, NYMTA

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) provides yearly progress update on sustainability plan. Also, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) offers free public transit for K-12 youth; Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) recommends two Austin Light Rail options to transit leaders; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Blue-Ribbon Panel unveils multi-layered plan with cutting-edge technology to reduce fare and toll evasion.

Metrolinx has released an Initial Business Case on the feasibility of adding a Highway 7/Concord GO Station to the Barrie Line. (Metrolinx Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, NYMTA, St. Louis MetroLink, SMART, STM

Metrolinx considers adding a new GO rail station to the Barrie Line, north of Toronto. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will start boosting subway train frequency this summer as ridership reaches record levels; St. Louis MetroLink will test metal detectors at stations; construction will begin this fall on a new Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) commuter rail station; and Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is deploying safety ambassadors, special constables and custodial employees to improve security and station cleanliness.

CalSTA awarded Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) $375 million for the six-mile, four-station BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project that will bring BART service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. Project completion is scheduled for 2033.

CalSTA Awards $2.5B for Rail Transit Projects

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) are among the 14 California agencies that will share $2.515 billion in TIRCP (Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program) grants from CalSTA (California State Transportation Agency) for rail-related projects.

The Calgary Green Line LRT project’s first phase is slated to connect southeast Calgary to downtown—11.18 miles from Shepard to Eau Claire—and link to the existing Red and Blue lines and four MAX BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) routes. (Calgary Transit Rendering)

Transit Briefs: Calgary Transit, LACMTA, NYMTA, SMART, Irwin/GMI

An SNC-Lavalin-led consortium lands a contract for the Calgary Green Line LRT project. Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) releases its Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance Project; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) debuts accessibility and circulation improvements at Penn Station in Manhattan; Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) reports that a recent California Supreme Court ruling will help advance plans to construct its northern extensions; and Irwin Transportation Products acquires Hornell, N.Y.-based Gray Manufacturing Industries (GMI), a railcar component supplier and technical consultant for the transit industry.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Dec. 29 announced that construction work on the Hudson River rail tunnel project connecting Penn Station New York and New Jersey will commence “in the coming months on the Manhattan side,” according to the New York Daily News. (Amtrak Photo)

Transit Briefs: Gateway, LIRR, SMART

Construction on the Hudson River rail tunnels, part of the Gateway Program in New York and New Jersey, will advance with a $292 million Mega grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Also, MTA Long Island Rail Road’s Grand Central Madison will not open by the end of the year, as planned; and California’s Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) will receive $1.8 million in Community Project Funding under the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 23.

UTA is developing a Five-Year Service Plan "to guide how transit services will improve."

Transit Briefs: UTA, Amtrak, SFMTA/Muni, RTD, CTA, SMART, Metrolink

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.

BART Add Fare Machines inside stations, which also serve as parking payment machines, now accept credit and debit cards.

Transit Briefs: BART, Amtrak, SEPTA, HART, MTC, NJ Transit

Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Add Fare machines undergo major upgrades to improve customer experience. Also, Amtrak trains could be coming into the Miami Intermodal Center; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) breaks ground on new accessibility project at Tasker-Morris Station; the Honolulu Authority for Rail Transportation (HART) and Hitachi Rail run small-scale exercise drills in partnership with the city’s first responders; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopts a new Transit-Oriented Communities Policy to promote commercial development near transit stations; and NJ Transit rolls out two initiatives as part of its ongoing Safety Education Program.

Amtrak, in conjunction with the Washington State DOT, Oregon DOT, VIA Rail Canada and other federal agencies, will restart service to Vancouver via Cascades on Sept. 26. (Photograph Courtesy of Amtrak)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, CTA, Gateway, LACMTA, SFMTA/Muni, SMART, VIA Rail

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.

Icomera has been selected to provide digital system upgrade to SunRail in Central Florida.

Transit Briefs: SunRail, NY MTA, MTS, NJ Transit, SMART

SunRail selects Icomera to provide digital system upgrade in Central Florida. Also, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) launches one-stop rail app combining Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad trip planning

Amtrak train 4 derailed. (Source: BNSF) (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of NTSB).

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on Amtrak Southwest Chief Derailment

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on July 21 released a preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the June 27 grade crossing collision and derailment between Amtrak’s Southwest Chief train 4 and a dump truck near Mendon, Mo.

LOAD MORE