FTA

North County Transit District will receive $240,000 to plan for TOD at the Escondido Transit Center, which serves five modes of transport, including the 22-mile SPRINTER hybrid commuter rail system (pictured).

FTA Awards $13.1MM in TOD Grants

Nineteen projects—12 rail-related—will share $13.1 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants through the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning.

HART’s 2022 Recovery Plan was submitted to the FTA in June, and proposes a truncated project scope with an interim terminus at the Civic Center Station, and a temporary deferral of the Pearl Highlands Parking Garage. The FTA is currently conducting an environmental reevaluation of the truncated scope. (Photograph Courtesy of HART)

Transit Briefs: HART, MARTA, Santa Clara VTA, WMATA

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approves Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s (HART) 2022 Recovery Plan. Also, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) celebrates completion of Edgewood/Candler Park transit-oriented development; San Jose (Calif.) State University, the city of San Jose, and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) help launch a free transit-pass program; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) reports Potomac Yard Station project delays.

Starting Nov. 19, the Central Subway will open with dedicated shuttle service on weekends. (SFMTA via Twitter)

Service on SFMTA’s New T Third Line Extension to Begin November

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) on Sept. 20 announced that, beginning Nov. 19, a soft launch of the Central Subway Project, an extension of the T Third Line, will open with dedicated shuttle service on weekends between 4th and Brannan Station to Chinatown/Rose Park Station, stopping along the way at Yerba Buena and Union Square where passengers can make transfers to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service and the Market Street subway.

Receiving grants are: Metrolink operator Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA; $12.5 million); Tri-Rail operator Southern Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA; $12.9 million); New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad ($4.4 million); NYSDOT and MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) ($14.9 million); and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA; $15 million).

USDOT Awards $59MM for Commuter Rail Grade Crossing Improvements

Five commuter rail agencies will receive a total of $59 million in grants for highway-rail grade crossing improvements in California, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The awards are part of round two of the Commuter Authority Rail Safety Improvement (CARSI) Grants Program.

CSX tweeted on Sept. 8: “Congrats to Carl Walker on being featured on the cover of African-American Career World Magazine’s summer/fall edition! Carl is a 23-year CSX employee and a former U.S. Navy officer. Learn about Carl’s inspirational story in the magazine’s special report, ‘Heroes of Import.’” (Image Courtesy of CSX via Twitter)
  • News

People News: CSX, PMA Consultants

African-American Career World Magazine (AACWM) features CSX’s Carl Walker in the summer/fall issue. Also, PMA Consultants appoints Kam Shadan as Executive Director of its new National Transit & Rail Practice.

New Special Directives issued by the FTA call for the MBTA to “address personnel, deficiencies and inadequate operating conditions, policies, procedures and training that compromised a culture of safety at the agency.”

FTA to MBTA: Additional Safety Changes Needed (UPDATED)

Following a Safety Management Inspection of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) rail transit system, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a report of findings on Aug. 31 and informed both the MBTA and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the state agency charged with Authority oversight, that safety changes, in addition to those announced in June, are needed.

(Screenshot of Video, Courtesy of OLI)

OLI Issues New Transit Safety Education Resources

Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has released new education materials covering commuter rail, light rail, rapid transit and streetcar safety for riders and the general public.

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