Author: Douglas John Bowen

Hurricane’s impact dampens U.S. freight traffic

Data released Nov. 8 by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) showed Hurricane Sandy disrupted U.S. intermodal volume’s winning streak during the week ending Nov. 3, 2012. The hurricane also solidified U.S. freight carload traffic’s continuing slide during the latest week.

DDOT pleased by streetcar RFI responses

Washington, D.C.’s District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Thursday said response to its Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposal (RFQ/RFI) was sufficient for the agency to pursue a 22-mile streetcar network serving the nation’s capital.

LRT defeat jeopardizes bistate bridge project

Voters in Clark County, Wash., on Tuesday rejected a proposed 0.1% sales tax to extend light rail transit across the Columbia River from Oregon—and that rejection could jeopardize a multimodal bridge designed to address bistate transportation.

Houston LRT backers decry OK to divert funds

Light rail transit advocates in Houston Wednesday morning mourned passage by voters of a referendum allowing Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Metro) to divert 25% of its transit sales tax collection to roads, bridges, sidewalks, and other non-rail infrastructure. Metro itself supported the measure.

Eastern U.S. rail initiatives gain ground

Arlington, Va., voters Tuesday approved a $31.9 million transportation bond by a healthy four-to-one margin, making $14.6 million available for improvements to the WMATA Metrorail. Upgrades in WMATA’s Virginia stations would include larger station platforms to accommodate 8-car trains, and funds to help purchase additional 7000-series cars.

Twin California defeats loom for rail

Los Angeles County voters Tuesday who supported Measure J, extending a half-cent tax for public transportation, accounted for 65% of those voting on the measure, thus falling short of a supermajority needed to pass the measure.