Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

Transit Briefs: WMATA, NJ Transit, Minn. Met Council, SEPTA, Maryland DOT, Sound Transit

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) teams up with Virginia Tech on U-Pass program at campuses in National Capital Region. Also, NJ Transit Rail Operations celebrates 40 years of service with historic excursion and display; Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council resolves current funding deficit for Green Line Extension; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) pilots contactless payments; Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) formal Federal grant application to address mobility and access challenges along the I-495 and I-270 corridors includes enhancement to the MARC Brunswick Line and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities; and service on Sound Transit’s Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension will open to passengers on Sept. 16.

The intersection of Island Avenue and Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, where SEPTA trolley 9107 derailed on July 27 and struck an SUV and the Blue Bell Inn. (NTSB)

NTSB: Brakes on Trolley Involved in SEPTA Derailment Disabled to Allow for Repairs  

A preliminary report on the derailment of a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) trolley issued on Aug. 21 by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that the brakes on trolley 9107, which, on July 27, derailed and struck an SUV and a restaurant, had been disabled on the day of the accident to allow for air compressor replacement.

TriMet’s “A Better Red” project to completely replace the Portland International Airport MAX station and install a second track along the alignment, between the new station and Air Cargo Road, has hit its halfway mark. (TriMet Photograph)

Transit Briefs: LACMTA, MDOT, Metrolinx, SEPTA, Trillium Line, TriMet

A recent poll finds community support for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) C Line (Green) extension to Torrance, Calif. Also, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) team on a new approach to transit-oriented development; the Ontario, Canada, government is investing in infrastructure upgrades at Metrolinx’s Aurora GO Station; six of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) 1940s-era PCC cars will return to service next month; the DMU Trillium Line’s hand-over to the city of Ottawa, Ontario, has been delayed again; and Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) is on schedule to reopen the MAX Red Line on Oct. 22.

Amtrak photo

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, SEPTA/Amtrak, LA Metro, NCDOT, DART, SCCRTC

Forbes names Amtrak one of America’s Best Employers for Women. Also, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and Amtrak plan to reconnect their stations at 30th Street; LA Metro’s GoPass pilot program is eligible for 1.3 million students; North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) new study explores the development along the S-Line rail corridor; downtown Dallas subway “D2” is no longer part of Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) long-term plans; and the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) orders a study for its Zero Emission Passenger Rail and Trail Project.

CTA crime was down in July, according to Chicago Police Department (CPD) statistics. (CTA Photograph Courtesy of FTA)

Transit Briefs: CTA, MARTA, Metro Transit, Metrolinx, SEPTA, Sound Transit, TTC

Crime declines at Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). Also, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and Metro Transit in St. Louis reach labor agreements; Metrolinx will announce the long-overdue opening of Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) line; the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will review Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) maintenance and safety protocols; Seattle’s Sound Transit allows riders to track service performance in their neighborhoods; and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) riders will soon be able to pay fares using Interac® Debit.

A consultant has been selected to perform the environmental review of New York MTA’s Interborough Express, a proposed 14-mile, 19-station light rail transit project. (Station Rendering Courtesy of NYMTA)

Transit Briefs: East-West Rail, MBTA, Metra, NYMTA, SEPTA

Funding for the east-west passenger rail project is left out of the Massachusetts budget. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Boston Carmen’s ATU Local 589 reach a tentative agreement; Chicago’s Metra is boosting its ME Blue Island commuter rail service; a consultant has been selected for environmental review of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Interborough Express project; and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is expanding its institutional pass program.

Rendering Courtesy of Alstom

Transit Briefs: SEPTA, SFMTA, LA Metro, New Orleans RTA

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will tackle critical track and power maintenance as part of its 2023 Trolley Tunnel Blitz. Also, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) riders will soon receive improved wireless connectivity; copper theft causes delays on LA Metro’s rail lines; and the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority’s (RTA) Rampart streetcar line reopening is pushed back to 2024 amid infrastructure delays.

Aerial photo of a portion of West Broadway Avenue in north Minneapolis, the proposed route of the Blue Line light rail extension. (Met Council)

Transit Briefs: Minn. Met Council, NJ Transit, SEPTA, NTMTA, Calif. State Budget

The Minnesota Metropolitan (Met) Council’s Anti-Displacement Working Group makes recommendations on Blue Line Extension. Also, NJ Transit launches customer awareness campaign to promote kindness; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) launches its Open Data Portal; the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)’s congestion pricing plan wins federal approval after comprehensive environmental review; and California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers reach a deal on the 2023-2024 budget that includes $5.1 billion for transit capital funding.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
  • News

First Look: Rail-Related RAISE Grantees for FY23

More than $244 million in FY 2023 RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) program grants will be distributed to 13 freight and passenger rail-related projects in 11 states, according to

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