Transit Briefs: WMATA, MBTA, NCTD, RTA

(WMATA)

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) applauds state funding to redevelop the Capitol Heights Metro Station. Also, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) advances nearly 1,000 units of housing; the North County Transit District (NCTD) authorizes negotiations with developers for two oceanside transit-oriented development (TOD) projects; and Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) selects eight station activation projects for a pilot program to improve public safety near transit and develops the Chicago region’s first Mobility Hub Network Framework.

WMATA

WMATA on May 17 celebrated the announcement of $17 million in state funding to make infrastructure improvements at the Capitol Heights Metro Station that the agency says will make the site “viable for future joint development.”

Prince George’s County Delegate Jazz Lewis, who helped secure the budget appropriations, made the announcement on Friday joined by WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke, Capitol Heights Mayor Linda Monroe, and other city and county officials.

“This investment will not just bolster a vital Metro station for our community,” said Lewis. “It will also uplift the work we are doing all across the Blue Line Corridor to revitalize this historic area in central Prince George’s County and bring more services and amenities to our home.”

“This is a prime opportunity and a win-win advancing the county’s goal to develop the Blue Line Corridor from Capitol Heights to Downtown Largo,” added Clarke. “We appreciate the leadership of Delegate Lewis, as well as our local and state partners, to help obtain the funding that will bring the vision for a vibrant community at Capitol Heights to reality.”

According to WMATA, the agency’s 10-year Strategic Plan to advance 20 new joint development agreements includes Capitol Heights. The site will support new housing, retail and business opportunities and provide easy access to transit to get to jobs, schools, and activities around the region.

The funding will cover the $17 million in infrastructure costs identified by WMATA to help protect the Blue Line tunnel, relocate utilities, create safer pedestrian connections to the stations, and reconfigure bus bays to allow development around the station.

To facilitate the project, WMATA entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Capitol Heights and Prince George’s County and is partnering with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) State Highway Administration to revise bus and traffic circulation at the station.

WMATA is “a leader in transit-oriented development and boasts the most robust joint development program in the country. Making better use of the land around Metro stations is a key strategic initiative that will help address the region’s housing shortage, generate new ridership and revenue for Metro, and create new tax revenue for the town and county,” the agency stated in a release.

The funding and infrastructure improvements, the agency says, will allow WMATA to move forward with a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a mixed-use development at the site. A solicitation is expected to be issued in the coming weeks.

MBTA

MBTA on May 17 announced the completion of five Collaborative Agreements to Advance Housing TOD Projects within the past year under the leadership of General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng, including the 18.98-acre site at Attleboro Station.

The agreements, MBTA says, represent a cross-section of Memorandums of Agreement (MOA), purchase and sale agreements, easements, or amendments to existing agreements that make these projects possible. These agreements have enabled the development of nearly 1,000 housing units, many of which are affordable, demonstrating the MBTA’s “commitment to supporting housing development in concert with local communities.”

On Friday, Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus and Eng joined Attleboro officials to highlight this site, which is the culmination of a vision that began more than 30 years ago under the Administration of the late Judy Robbins, former mayor of Attleboro, Mass., who first conceived the plan for the development of this land.

“Housing near public transit is good housing policy, it’s good transportation policy, and it’s good climate policy,” said Augustus. “Massachusetts is in desperate need of more affordable housing. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to working with our local communities and the MBTA to repurpose underutilized land and transform it into vibrant, livable communities. This housing means more opportunities for families to thrive and call Attleboro home.”

In addition to these collaborative agreements, MBTA and its development partners have also recently completed and opened several new housing projects, “further contributing to the region’s housing stock,” according to the agency. Friday’s event was part of the Administration’s statewide Housing Campaign to call attention to the urgent need to lower housing costs throughout Massachusetts. On May 16, the Administration announced $12 million in Community Investment Tax Credits (CITC) to 54 Community Development Corporations across the state. Events last week focused on transforming public housing, identifying housing solutions with the business industry, ending veteran homelessness, the impact of housing on health care, and the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s partnership with cities and towns to find solutions.

The MBTA’s Transit-Oriented Development and Innovative Delivery (TOD/ID) program “fosters sustainable growth and improved transit access by partnering with developers, municipal and state agencies, and other stakeholders,” according to the agency. This collaborative approach has led to successful TOD projects at Assembly Station, Jackson Square Station, Wonderland Station, and North Station.

The five MBTA Transit-Oriented Development Collaborative Agreements are as follows:

• Attleboro: In Attleboro, the MBTA executed an MOA with the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority (ARA) for a land swap and future sale of MBTA property, which will be combined with ARA property to support up to 600 units of housing adjacent to Attleboro Station – its largest transit-oriented-development yet.
• Salem: In Salem, the MBTA partnered with the Salem Redevelopment Authority to combine MBTA land with City-owned land, enabling the Winn Companies to build a 120-unit mixed-income housing project, including 48 affordable units, next to Salem Station. This project was a key priority for Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll during her tenure as Mayor of Salem.
• Winchester: Similarly, in Winchester, the MBTA collaborated with the Town to sell a parcel of land, which was combined with the Town’s property to facilitate Civico’s 56-unit housing project at Winchester Station, featuring 40 affordable units.
• Boston: In Boston, the MBTA relieved the nonprofit Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services of an outstanding mortgage obligation on a former MBTA property, allowing the nonprofit to advance a 100% affordable housing project of up to 94 units near Roxbury Crossing Station.
• Swampscott: Lastly, the MBTA also provided a long-term easement to the Winn Companies in Swampscott, enabling a 114-unit mixed-income housing project adjacent to MBTA tracks, with 76 affordable units.

Looking ahead, the MBTA says it is working to advance redevelopment at key transit hubs, such as Quincy Center, Riverside, and Alewife stations. The agency is also supporting the construction of more than 1,800 units of market-rate housing and 500-plus units of affordable housing in communities across its service area, with an additional 6,000 units in the design and planning review phases.

The land surrounding the Attleboro Station has a long history of industrial use and contamination. The site of Renaissance North and bus loops was once home to Automated Machine Products – North, while the site of One Wall Street housed Automated Machine Products – South and the Old Barn. The area immediately south of the Commuter Rail platform was previously occupied by a police station, Department of Public Works laydown yard, and municipal landfill. Further south, the land at Olive Street was once a chemical company site, with an outbuilding that caught fire. Over the decades, these parcels were contaminated by various sources. Through the collaborative efforts of MassDevelopment, MassDEP, MassDOT, the FTA, the City of Attleboro, and the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority (ARA), these parcels were acquired and remediated to allow for dense residential use. This massive undertaking has prepared the land for its future purpose.

Looking ahead, the ARA is set to release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) as the first of two steps in selecting a Master Developer to guide the redevelopment of the TOD land. The RFQ, MBTA says, will enable the ARA to “identify a pool of qualified development teams with the necessary experience and financial capacity to undertake a project of this scale.”

In addition to assessing the qualifications of interested developers, the ARA will use the RFQ to “better understand each team’s abilities, portfolio, and vision.” This information will help the ARA craft a more prescriptive RFP in the second step, which will be released directly to the developers selected in the RFQ process. The RFP will require certain project elements, such as a minimum percentage of affordable units, open space, and engagement of woman- and minority-owned businesses in the development.

NCTD

The NCTD Board of Directors on May 16 voted in favor of entering into Exclusive Negotiation Agreements (ENAs) with two developers for redevelopment at two SPRINTER stations in the City of Oceanside.

The first ENA for the Melrose SPRINTER Station is with USA Properties Fund Inc., and Waterford Property Company, a general partnership. The second ENA for the Rancho Del Oro SPRINTER Station is with S.V.D.P. Management Inc. (Father Joe’s Villages).

The Melrose Avenue and Rancho Del Oro SPRINTER stations are part of NCTD’s transit-oriented development strategy at 11 sites across North County, including Oceanside Transit Center, Carlsbad Village and Poinsettia Stations, Escondido Transit Center, and five additional SPRINTER Station locations in the cities of Oceanside, Vista and San Marcos.

The TOD projects will include housing, retail and community amenities, such as parks, trails and gathering spaces. The projects are a part of NCTD’s strategy to transform underutilized land into mobility hubs that will “increase ridership and regional connectivity; support regional housing goals and community amenities; and promote environmental stewardship and economic growth in the region.”

The proposed Melrose SPRINTER Station and Rancho Del Oro SPRINTER Station projects will include low income and very low income, adding to the City of Oceanside’s supply of affordable housing.

Melrose SPRINTER Station project includes:

• 420 affordable housing units
• A neighborhood park, pedestrian walkway, and enhanced transit walking areas.
• Transit dedicated parking spaces.

The Rancho Del Oro SPRINTER Station will provide a list of similar amenities, including:

• 98 affordable housing units.
• 8,000 square feet of retail space.
• A public plaza, wide paseos for pedestrians and numerous cyclist amenities.
• Transit dedicated parking spaces.
• Enhanced station waiting areas.
• Improved bus infrastructure and bus operator restrooms.

The Board’s approval, NCTD says, “marks a critical step toward reinventing the two existing SPRINTER stations at Melrose Avenue and Rancho Del Oro Avenue, aiming to transform them from underutilized parking lots into vibrant community spaces where residents and visitors can live, shop and play.”

RTA

Chicago’s RTA on May 16 announced more than $120,000 in funding for eight Transit Station Activation projects to improve public safety and a sense of community near Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace stations and stops.

Eight Transit Station Activation projects were selected from a group of nearly 20 applicants submitted in the 2024 Community Planning Call for Projects. Selected projects, RTA says, “will bring activities near transit, create a welcoming environment, and help address real or perceived public safety issues.” Each project will receive between $10,000 and $20,000 in funding to plan and host public events that will take place this summer and fall.

The Transit Station Activation grant program was launched following the RTA Public Transit Safety and Security Summit in February 2024, which brought together nearly 80 riders, transit professionals, and stakeholders “to explore holistic solutions to the safety issues the transit system is facing.”

This week, the RTA published a report featuring priority recommendations that emerged from conversations at the event. Recommendations include regular reporting on transit crime, creating new non-police units to respond to mental health crises, expanding social services partnerships, and continuing to invest in infrastructure upgrades at transit stations and stops.

“All riders and frontline workers deserve to feel safe on transit,” said RTA Director Leanne Redden. “We are excited to announce the projects selected for Transit Station Activations and see these projects come to life, helping make our region’s transit stations and stops feel safer and centering them as hubs in their communities.”

Project awards are contingent based on pending grant agreements between RTA and selected applicants, including their ability to secure any necessary approvals and permits. Final details about the successful implementation of the activations will be shared closer to their event dates.

Selected projects will occur this summer and fall at the following eight stations:

• Cicero Green Line Station (CTA)
• 63^rd and Cottage Grove Green Line Station (CTA)
• Morse Red Line Station (CTA)
• Maywood Station (Metra)
• 79^th Street Station in Chatham and 147^th Street Station in Harvey (Metra)
• Joliet Transit Center (Pace)
• Loyola Red Line Station and Bus Routes 151 and 147 (CTA)
• Bus Routes 36 and 81 in Uptown (CTA)

The projects selected for Transit Station Activations are a direct implementation of Transit is the Answer, the regional transit strategic plan approved by the RTA Board of Directors in 2023. The first action of the plan, RTA says, is to “make the transit system safety and more secure for everyone.” RTA staff will partner with successful grantees to survey attendees and transit riders at the activations to learn more about their experiences and assist in evaluating this pilot program.

More information is available here.

In related news, RTA is partnering with the Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC) and the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) to develop the Chicago region’s first Mobility Hub Network Framework.

The project kicked off in early May 2024, and the outcomes of the study will include a mobility hub framework and policy report for the entire six-county RTA service area, and to develop proposed Cook County mobility hub projects.

According to RTA, mobility hubs are locations where people can access multiple types of transportation modes in a central location. Features may include adjacency to transit facilities like bus stops or rail stations; micromobility options like bike or scooter share, loading zones for ride hail vehicles like Uber, Lyft, and taxis; secured parking for car sharing, vanpool, and other types of shared vehicles; electric vehicle charging stations; and delivery lockers and mini-logistics hubs.

“When existing community facilities and public services—for example, health clinics, daycares, senior centers, public libraries, etc.—are part of the mix, they can also create opportunities for bridging economic and digital divides in accessing services, serving a wider share of the public, as well addressing issues of climate resiliency, equity, access, and affordability,” according to RTA.

The Mobility Hub Network Framework comes out of recent plans from Cook County and the RTA. Cook County’s Transit Plan recommends better access to transit which includes “…walking, riding bikes or scooters, taking paratransit or utilizing rideshare,” as well as “improving the quality of access and providing a variety of mobility options to extend the reach of transit,” according to the agency.

According to RTA, the framework itself will “assist agencies and communities throughout the six-county area in determining where to locate mobility hubs and will provide a structure for approaching site and design choices in collaboration with local community members, businesses, and other key stakeholders centering equity and access to opportunity.”

“Anchored by a synthesis of existing efforts across the region,” the framework, RTA says, “will develop a decision structure, core principles, and guidance for the creation of a network of mobility hubs prioritized according to the goals set out in the region’s key policy documents.” Building on related initiatives already under way (which may not explicitly use the term mobility hub), the framework, RTA adds, “will leverage the region’s existing transportation assets and plans, demand-management approaches, and expertise, and be guided by community needs, particularly those of historically underserved populations.” The business and logistical needs of public and private mobility operators and related services will also help inform discussion and planning.

Development of the framework will include meetings with SUMC, Cook County DoTH, RTA, and other stakeholders. Research around best practices from elsewhere in the U.S. and internationally “will inform the final framework, as well as an inventory of existing transportation and community assets that can help inform potential locations for mobility hubs,” according to RTA. This will include a proposed prioritization approach based on community needs, focus on underserved areas, level of potential climate impact, and the business and logistical constraints of mobility providers.

While the framework report will provide a strategy for agencies and other entities across the region, the final task of the project will focus on developing a more detailed pathway to implementation of Mobility Hubs in Cook County, according to RTA. Starting from the locations uncovered and prioritized in the regional framework, the team will identify 6-8 locations for the piloting of mobility hubs in Cook County, representing a variety of urban and suburban contexts and mobility access levels. For these locations the team will develop pilot implementation plans and conceptual site designs.

Based on the data and best-practice/design information compiled throughout the development of the framework, the team will create a business plan toolkit for hub implementation, including cost estimates for a variety of typical amenities, pricing and revenue strategies, and identification of possible funding sources. Where possible, it will also identify the mix of responsible entities as well as procurement and operational considerations for implementation in varied circumstances (e.g., at locations controlled by a transit agency versus municipal or private control).

The framework report is slated to be complete in spring 2025, with the Cook County Pilot Projects Report to be complete by fall 2025.