MTA

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.

"Americans deserve to have the best rail system in the world, and the investments we are announcing today will serve to modernize the NEC for generations of passengers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Dec. 22.

FTA: $686MM to Modernize Transit Stations (UPDATED)

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced 15 grants totaling $686 million in nine states to modernize older transit stations and improve accessibility, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced Dec. 19.

Starting in 2023, the MTA says it is working to implement operating efficiencies yielding $100 million in savings in 2023 and rising to $416 million in savings by 2026.

NYMTA Sets 2023 Budget, Major Projects

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced Dec. 21 that it has approved its 2023 budget and four-year financial plan; is taking action to reduce costs of capital projects, including Second Avenue Subway and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Third Track; and is awarding a $382 million contract for the Metro-North Park Avenue Viaduct rehabilitation project.

Brightline’s two new South Florida stations—Boca Raton and Adventura—will launch Dec. 21. (Pictured, Adventura Station during a November “sneak peak.”)

Transit Briefs: Brightline, LACMTA, MARTA, MBTA, NYMTA, SEPTA

On Dec. 21, two new stations will open for Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad. Also, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) celebrates its inaugural Youth Council; the first of the brand-new Stadler-built rapid transit car bodies arrive at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA); Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) eyes Widett Circle property for a new Commuter Rail layover yard; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) recognizes 51 employees for delivering “exemplary service”; and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) launches a mobile ticketing pilot program.

TransLink's Compass Mini-Trains attach to a keyring and offer an alternate way to pay for transit in Metro Vancouver.

Transit Briefs: TransLink, NYMTA, Metra, CTA

TransLink launches Compass Mini-Train as an alternate way to pay for transit in Metro Vancouver. Also, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 11 unveil New York City subway Customer Service Centers; Metra approves contract to rebuild three electric line stations; and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announces plans to develop a new Control and Training Center on Chicago’s West Side.

The Georgia Department of Transportation’s recent safety audit of MARTA has found “a strong commitment to safety and no major safety gaps or concerns,” the transit authority reported on Dec. 8.

Transit Briefs: MARTA, MBTA, Metrolinx, NYMTA, RTA, Sound Transit

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) undergoes the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) 2022 Triennial Safety Audit. Also, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) celebrates “substantial completion” of the first of two construction contracts for its South Coast Rail Phase I project; a contractor-targeted opening date for the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT, one of four light rail projects in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, may be “overly ambitious,” according to a Metrolinx report obtained by the Toronto Star; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in early 2023 will begin phasing in a new role for subway station agents; Regional Transportation Authority of Northeastern Illinois (RTA) releases a draft strategic plan; and Sound Transit’s Downtown Redmond (Wash.) Link Extension has earned an award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

(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.