“Station accessibility is a core part of SEPTA’s capital program,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards (pictured, center). “With the opening of the new Conshohocken Station, we are one step closer to reaching our goal of making SEPTA easier to use and more accessible to all.” (SEPTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: BART, MDOT/MTA, Metrolink, SEPTA

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) releases its latest performance report. Also, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is launching a Youth Transit Council; holiday express trains are returning for the fifth year to Southern California’s Metrolink; and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line station.

(White House Graphic)

FRA Awards $16.4B for NEC Projects (UPDATED)

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on Nov. 6 reported awarding $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Fed-State

“The @PurpleLineMD is a complex project that has seen its share of complications including the set aside of environmental documentation in 2016 & bringing on a new design-build contractor in 2022 to complete work that had sat dormant for 2 years,” Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold reported in a Twitter post on July 14. The agency and Purple Line Transit Partners are facing further delays and seeking approval for a new opening date: spring 2027. (Photograph Courtesy of Holly Arnold, via Twitter)

Another Setback for Purple Line Light Rail Project

The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) and Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP) are seeking approval to push the long-delayed Purple Line’s launch date from fall 2026 to spring

(Maryland DOT Photograph)

MARC Eyes Two-State Expansion Project

The Maryland Department of Transportation – Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) on April 13 signed framework agreements with Delaware Transit Corp. and Virginia Passenger Rail Authority for the potential future expansion of MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) Train service to Newark, Del., and Alexandria, Va.

Pictured: Richard Sherman, ASLRRA; and Lauren Skiver, Transdev U.S.

People News: ASLRRA, MDOT MTA, OCTA, Transdev U.S.

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) hires a new Assistant Vice President of Policy and Industry Affairs. Also, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) appoints its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Director; Transdev U.S. signs on a new Chief Operating Officer; and Orange Country (Calif.) Transportation Authority (OCTA) recognizes the OC Streetcar project lead as an Employee of the Year for 2022.

SMART lounge inside the new Aventura Station . Courtesy of Brightline, via Twitter.

Transit Briefs: Brightline, MDOT MTA, Houston Metro

Brightline opens two new stations in South Florida. Also, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) celebrates completion of new MARC Riverside Heavy Maintenance Facility; and the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Metro) in Houston debuts new generation of more accessible railcars.

TransLink’s mural installation on a section of the Canada Line Bridge showcases designs from three xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band) artists. (Photograph Courtesy of TransLink)

Transit Briefs: TransLink, CTA, LYNX, MDOT MTA, Metrolink, Metrolinx, NYMTA

Metro Vancouver’s TransLink installs three digital murals “reflecting the past, present and future of the region, through the lens of colonialism and reconciliation.” Also, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) celebrates 75 years of service; Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) of Charlotte, N.C., advances the LYNX Red Line project; Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) launches a campaign to address sexual harassment on transit; Southern California’s Metrolink and local law enforcement promote highway/rail grade crossing safety; Metrolinx awards a contract for work to connect the Yonge North Subway Extension to existing TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) Line 1 service; and a limited-edition “1904 Sandwich” has been created in recognition of the New York City subway’s 118th anniversary.

MBTA on Sept. 9 reported that 69% of work on the 30-day m/w blitz along the Orange Line is complete and approximately 60 new railcars (10 six-car trainsets) are slated to be available when service resumes Sept. 19. (Photograph Courtesy of MBTA)

Transit Briefs: MDOT MTA, MBTA, NYMTA

The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) is seeking public comment on preliminary transit alternatives for the North-South Corridor between Towson and downtown Baltimore. Also, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Orange Line maintenance-of-way blitz is 69% complete; and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has launched a newsletter to inform riders of major rail service changes planned for weekends.

Metrolink's discount program will be available for one year or until the grant funds are depleted.

Transit Briefs: Metrolink, WMATA, Valley Metro, MDOT, Metrolinx, LA Metro

Metrolink launches discount program for low-income train riders. Also, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)’s newly improved Orange Line stations will reopen on schedule featuring platform and customer upgrades; Valley Metro’s South Central Extension/Downtown Hub is halfway to the goal line; the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) releases $19.9 billion draft six-year capital budget plan; new reserved bike rooms are opening at five of Metrolinx’s GO stations; and LA Metro releases final limited edition TAP cards featuring rider portraits.

Metrolinx will boost platform safety for the Elglinton Crosstown LRT project with Guideway Intrusion Detection Systems (GIDS) and warning scanners. (Photo Courtesy of Metrolinx.)

Transit Briefs: Caltrain, MDOT MTA, Metrolinx, Valley Link

Caltrain’s Board of Directors has approved its operating and capital budgets for FY 2023. Also, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) is seeking feedback on seven East-West Transit Corridor study alternatives; Toronto-area regional transit agency Metrolinx is equipping the Elglinton Crosstown LRT with platform safety systems; and California’s Valley Link rail project has entered the Project Development phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program.

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