Marymoor Village is one of two stations under construction as part of the Downtown Redmond Link Extension. (Sound Transit photo)

Transit Briefs: MARTA, CTA, BART, Sound Transit, MBTA

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Police Department (MPD) accomplishes a significant reduction in violent crime in 2022; the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) awards $75 million contract for Racine Blue Line Station improvements; Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) unveils new campaigns to complement ridership recovery; Sound Transit releases fresh pics of the Downtown Redmond Link Extension project; and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) looks to hire additional dispatchers and train operators to enhance subway service.

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.

BART's bubble tiles are seen on a wall at Powell St. Station.
Commentary

The Story of BART’s Iconic Bubble Tiles

There’s just something about BART’s bubble tiles. Long a fascination for riders, the white hexagonal tiles with a domed center have been capturing the Bay Area’s attention since the opening of BART’s Powell St. and Montgomery St. stations in 1973.

Transit Briefs: LA Metro, Calif. High-Speed Rail, Link21, Brightline

Lunar New Year TAP cards are now available at LA Metro Customer Centers and select rail stations. Also, new efforts to bring high-speed rail to downtown San Francisco include a price tag of $6.7 billion; Link21 announced appointment of 18 members to its newly formed Equity Advisory Council; and Brightline continues train testing at higher speeds in Palm Beach County in preparation for opening to Orlando.

In Massachusetts, the Joint Committee on Transportation on Jan. 3 released a report recommending that MBTA be charged with subway and bus operations only, not Commuter Rail, ferry and construction services, according to the Boston Herald.

Transit Briefs: MBTA, Metro-North, BART

A new Massachusetts Legislature report recommends changing Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) structure, leaving it in charge of subway and bus operations only. Also, MTA Metro-North Railroad marks its 40th anniversary; and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) teams with Rapido Trains, Inc., to produce 1:87 (HO) scale models of the BART legacy cars.

TAP wearables are back for a limited time and are available at Metro Customer Centers.

Transit Briefs: LA Metro, BART, WMATA, East-West Rail, Santa Cruz RTC, NYMTA

LA Metro releases limited edition TAP wearables at Customer Centers. Also, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) approves developer for North Berkley Transit Oriented Development (TOD); a new transit station area plan for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Huntington Metro Station, which serves the Yellow Line in Northern Virginia, has been approved; the East-West Rail Commission plans first hearing on Boston-Springfield passenger service; the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) pursues concept report for electric rail; and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grants the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) a waiver for train safety at Grand Central Madison.

(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, BART, WMATA, VIA Rail

Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) New York City Transit (NYCT) announces graduation of 84 new train operators and 10 new conductors and continues its annual tradition of Holiday Nostalgia Rides. Also, new illuminated artwork brings the sky to Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Powell St. Station; the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) launches new gate prototype to prevent fare evasion; and VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) extends pilot project to reduce fuel consumption.

SCVTA said its use of a single bore approach to build the six-mile, four-station BART Silicon Valley Phase II extension “will save construction time, reduce the station footprint and property needs, increase the potential for transit-oriented development, [and] reduce disruption to city streets, neighborhoods, and businesses.” (Rendering Courtesy of SCVTA)

Independent Study OKs Single Bore Tunnel for BART Silicon Valley Phase II

An independent study has confirmed that the single bore tunnel method is feasible for the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Silicon Valley Phase II project, according to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA).

An image of a 1/12 scale model of a BART railcar prototype from the 1960s. (Sundberg-Ferar Image, Courtesy of BART)

50 Years of BART: Prototypes That Started It All

The iconic original BART (San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District) car could have looked very different.

VIA Rail is adding “buffer cars at the front and back end of all trains with [older] stainless steel equipment to reduce the consequences in the unlikely event of a train-to-train collision,” Canada’s government-owned passenger railroad told The Globe and Mail. This safety measure will remain until older cars can be reinforced and new Siemens trainsets (pictured) enter service. (Photograph Courtesy of VIA Rail Canada)

Transit Briefs: TTC, VIA Rail, WMATA, BART/MTC

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) selects AECOM as owner’s engineer for the Bloor-Yonge Station Capacity Improvements project. Also, VIA Rail Canada is adding “buffer” cars to some trains to improve safety; Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA/Metro) reports that next month the Silver Line extension will be operationally ready to open, but it’s unclear if more 7000-series railcars will be approved for release to support it; and San Francisco Bay Rapid Transit District (BART) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) report a plastic Clipper® fare-card shortage.

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