Northstar service between Minneapolis and Big Lake, Minn., was shuttered Jan. 4, with buses replacing trains along the route, according to local media reports. The Minnesota Star Tribune and other media outlets
![“Today, the 9.1-mile, four-station Foothill Gold Line light rail project from Glendora to Pomona [California] reached substantial completion on time and on budget,” the project team reported Jan. 3 via social media platform X. (Foothill Gold Line Image)](https://www.old.railwayage.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/FoothillGoldLine-315x168.png)
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) $1.5 billion Foothill Gold Line light rail project in California reaches substantial completion. Also, Metropolitan (Met) Council’s 2025 operating budget invests in a “safe, clean, and welcoming experience” for Metro Transit rail and bus riders in the Twin Cities; and Sacramento Regional Transit District’s (SacRT) light rail service resumes to all Folsom, Calif., area stations.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is honored with the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Outstanding Public Transportation System Award. Also, Metro Transit’s Mall of America transit station gets a $25 million facelift; dispatching responsibilities for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) South Coast Rail territory will now be performed by Keolis Commuter Services; and Caltrain lowers fares for youth riders.
Multiple recent cases of stolen copper wire impact the Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) rail services. Also, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) is named the Outstanding Public Transportation System by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA); the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) receives $54 million in state funding to support the Second Avenue Subway expansion project; Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council asks cities to sign off on preliminary design plans for the Blue Line Extension; the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) plans to complete multiple projects ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympics to expand connections throughout northern Utah; and Stantec is selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) to lead preliminary and final design for key elements of the $2 billion Newark AirTrain Replacement Program.
This summer, Chicago will see CTA’s Red Line Extension project through the eyes of three high school students. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan (Met) Council and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) prepare an environmental report for the Metro Blue Line extension project; New Jersey Transit (NJT) hosts a workshop on transportation and security planning ahead of large-scale events like the FIFA World Cup 2026; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in May exceeds 70% of pre-COVID ridership for the first time; and Ontario’s Metrolinx awards a rail program advisory contract to Jacobs.
Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council approves a labor agreement that boosts wages for Metro Transit workers. Also, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) advances the Silver Line Regional Rail project, allowing the return of freight rail service to Plano and Richardson, Tex.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) contracts INIT to implement a new fare collection system in time for the FIFA World Cup. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council transit ridership grows 16%; Brightline and Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) horns will continue in Indian River as County Commission nixes quiet zones; Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) receives Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) receives $317 million for new Market-Frankford Line cars; Sound Transit’s new app is now available for download; and Trinity Rail Express (TRE) is now making stops at a new station in Fort Worth, Texas.
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) issues a Request for Proposals (RFP) to build Red Line Extension track structure and stations, and hits the ridership “million mark” on multiple days, a post-pandemic first. Also, Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council announces a grant agreement that will fund work on the Metro Transit Blue Line extension project through 2024; San Diego Metropolitan Transit System’s (MTS) Board signs off on measures to improve operations, accessibility and security; San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) takes delivery of the ZEMU (Zero-Emissions Multiple Unit) from Stadler; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) delays until next year the full switch to automatic train operations (ATO).
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) earns a strategic plan award for its $3.6 billion Red Line Extension Project and reports downward trends in crime. Also, more than 250,000 people are now enrolled in Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) low-income fare program; and Metro Transit workers in Minneapolis, Minn., vote to authorize a strike.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) teams up with Virginia Tech on U-Pass program at campuses in National Capital Region. Also, NJ Transit Rail Operations celebrates 40 years of service with historic excursion and display; Minnesota’s Metropolitan Council resolves current funding deficit for Green Line Extension; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) pilots contactless payments; Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) formal Federal grant application to address mobility and access challenges along the I-495 and I-270 corridors includes enhancement to the MARC Brunswick Line and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities; and service on Sound Transit’s Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension will open to passengers on Sept. 16.
