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Announcements
President Biden Announces Billions to Deliver World-Class High-Speed Rail and Launch New Passenger Rail Corridors Across the Country: On December 8, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced $8.2 billion in new funding for 10 major passenger rail projects across the country, including the first world-class high-speed rail projects in our country’s history. The key selected projects include: Building a new high-speed rail system between California and Nevada, which will serve more than 11 million passengers annually; Creating a high-speed rail line through California’s Central Valley to link Los Angeles and San Francisco, Supporting travel with speeds up to 220 mph; Delivering significant upgrades to frequently-traveled rail corridors in Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia; and Upgrading and expanding capacity at Chicago Union Station in Illinois, one of the nation’s busiest rail hubs.
Upcoming Events
National Transit Institute NTI TAM Lifecycle Management Training: Mark your calendars and sign up for the upcoming sessions of National Transit Institute’s (NTI) Enhancing Your Transit Asset Management Program with Lifecycle Management training. There is still space available for the session on March 4th through 6th.
2024 FTA TAM Roundtable: The TAM Program is excited to confirm that it will hold an in-person TAM Roundtable. The dates and location are still being finalized, but July is the target month. The 2024 TAM Roundtable will bring together roughly 80 participants from across the country who are directly involved in the management of transit capital assets. The 1.5-day event will feature peer learning sessions and a presentation from FTA staff highlighting TAM program updates.
New Resources
November 2023 TAM Discussion Forum Summary Report on Setting TAM Performance Targets: FTA’s TAM Program organizes discussion forums to support professional capacity building for transit agency staff. Discussion forums bring together a small group of transit professionals to engage virtually on topics that go beyond the requirements in the TAM Rule (49 CFR 625). This report from the fall 2023 forum highlights the main successes and challenges in setting TAM performance targets, as described by participants, and summarizes perspectives shared during the facilitated discussion.
Articles
Alabama: New Transit Bus Station Coming to Huntsville Set for Completion in May
A new transit transfer station in Huntsville is expected to be finished before the end of the year. Huntsville is expanding its public transit system, thanks to a nearly $13 million grant issued by FTA in 2020. A new 3,800-square-foot transit station will be located on Pratt Avenue in downtown Huntsville, which will make room for more buses and additional routes to the city’s transportation system. Thousands use Huntsville’s bus system, Orbit, daily, and as the population in Huntsville continues to grow, so does the need for more public transportation.
NJ: PATH Will Spend $230M to Fix Delay-causing Track and Train Issues
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH) riders will see relief from daily delays due to track and train problems over the next several years, following Port Authority commissioners’ approval of a $230 million “state of good repair” program intended to address infrastructure issues. The program infuses money into rehabilitating the bi-state rail system’s underground track work west of the Hudson River and rebuilding the very wheels and motors that move rail cars, officials said. The work is focused on tunnel locations and aims to improve reliability.
WMATA Begins Repairing 7000-series Railcar Wheels under New Process
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has begun replacing the wheels on all 7000-series railcars under new, higher standards. These standards allow WMATA to resume regular maintenance intervals and gradually add more 7000-series railcars to service. The first of the repaired railcars went into passenger service on Dec. 4, 2023. Under the new process, WMATA will increase their fit and press tonnage to mount the wheels on the axels on the railcar. WMATA will perform additional inspections, wheel measurements and engineering analysis on railcars before returning to the standard periodic inspection intervals.
Rhode Island: RIPTA Unveils Early Plans, Timeline for Pawtucket-Central Falls Bus Passenger Facility
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) unveiled proposed designs and a timeline for a new bus passenger facility at the Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center and is seeking feedback. RIPTA hopes to complete construction by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026. The transit center opened in January 2023 as an MBTA stop and a major RIPTA bus route junction, which has proved popular with riders. The facility included a new indoor space with public and driver restrooms, a break room, Pawtucket police substation and security office, an inside waiting room with seating, and customer service.
Commuter Rail Services Return to City of Lynn, Mass., Nine Months ahead of Schedule
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), in partnership with Commuter Rail operator Keolis, was able to accelerate construction of the Lynn Commuter Rail Station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line temporary platform to finish the project nine months ahead of schedule. Services will run between Lynn Station and Boston’s North Station every 30 minutes, seven days a week. In addition, this will improve and provide reliable accessibility, improved functionality, and enhanced system safety features in the new station.
Missouri: New State-of-the-Art Security Gates Arrive at Metro Transit Facility Ahead of Rollout
Missouri Metro Transit, MetroLink, received the first set of new security gates at one of its facilities; installation of gates is planned for all 39 of their stations. The new gates will allow passengers to scan passes and proceed through full-height turnstiles designed to improve security at MetroLink platforms. Officials estimate those security gates will be installed by late summer or early spring.
Oklahoma: Embark Is Riding on the Success of New Rapid Bus Line
Oklahoma’s EMBARK bus line is riding on the success of its newest public transit option, a new rapid bus line called RAPID Northwest. The RAPID line launched on December 3, 2023. Since then, the line has logged over 55,000 passenger trips with higher ridership on weekdays than on weekends. With fewer stops than a typical city bus, the RAPID NW has seven operating buses, which stop every 12 minutes during peak times. After 7 pm, the bus stops every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends.
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