HNTB Taps Leite for Transit Planning Practice
HNTB on Feb. 12 reported hiring Alicia Leite as a senior associate to help expand the firm’s transit planning practice, as well as its client relationships across the Northeast and nationally. With
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Alstom, CTDOT Unveil Commuter Railcar Mockup
A mockup of one of the 60 commuter railcars joining Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (CTDOT) fleet in late 2026 is now on display at Union Station in New Haven. Alstom landed the
Transit Briefs: LACMTA, Metrolinx, Metra, Sound Transit, CTDOT
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Board approves a $50 million Construction Management Support Services contract. Also, Canada’s Metrolinx breaks ground on the second Ontario Line subway tunnel in Toronto; Chicago’s Metra commuter railroad opens a new Grayland Station and dedicates a new bridge over Milwaukee Ave.; Seattle’s Sound Transit beta tests a trip planning tool; and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) issues a Request for Proposals for redevelopment of the Stamford Transportation Center.
DOT Roundup: Michigan, North Carolina, Connecticut
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) are seeking public input on a draft 2026-2030 transportation program and on projects to include in the 2028-2037 transportation plan, respectively. Also, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has released its second-annual Customer Experience Action Plan Progress Report.
Transit Briefs: VIA Rail, EXO, CTDOT, SEPTA, TransLink
VIA Rail, Canada’s national passenger rail service, reaches tentative agreements with Unifor. Also, Siemens is delivering the second of 10 Charger locomotives for EXO commuter rail, which serves the Greater Montreal area; Connecticut Department of Transportation selects HNTB for major upgrades along Metro-North Railroad’s Waterbury Branch Line; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) extends its advertising partnership agreement; and stepped-up fare enforcement efforts are driving positive change at Metro Vancouver’s TransLink.
USDOT, CTDOT Team to Expedite Environmental Review Process
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on May 15 announced a “first-of-its kind programmatic agreement” establishing a unified federal review process and delegating authority to the State of Connecticut to accelerate the review of individual transportation projects that may affect historic properties under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
House Subcommittee Eyes Federal Rail Funding Reform
Pinsly Railroad Company executive and ASLRRA Board Member Kristin Bevil was among those testifying on ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal rail assistance at a May 6 hearing of
Transit Briefs: NJT, NJT/Amtrak, LACMTA, CTDOT, STV, NCTD, BART
The New Jersey Governor’s proposed budget includes a state corporate transit fee to help financially strapped New Jersey Transit (NJT). Also, the final arch is installed for the Portal North Bridge project, which will speed NJT commuter rail and Amtrak intercity passenger rail service; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) ridership was up 8% in 2024; Connecticut commuter railroads continued their post-pandemic ridership rebound last year; STV, as part of a progressive design-build (PDB) team, extends Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s automated people mover (APM) system; North County Transit District (NCTD) proclaims Feb. 25 as Crystal Trent Day in honor of San Diego’s first African American female engineer; and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) introduces a team that has five minutes to clean each rapid transit train.
Transit Briefs: NCDOT, CTDOT, LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will administer a $13.2 million federal grant to the town of Wake Forest to construct a “mobility hub” on the S-Line passenger rail corridor. Also, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) receives $11.6 million to expand service along the CTrail Hartford Line; and the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is awarded $27 million to increase Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train service.
Transit Briefs: TriMet, Metro-North, SBCTA, South Shore Line
TriMet rolls out new security phones at MAX stations. Also, train service on Metro-North Railroad’s Waterbury Branch will resume on Oct. 28; the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) seeks public feedback on the proposed ONT Connector project; and South Shore Line opens its Hammond Gateway Station.