Transit Briefs: NYMTA, DART, CTA, SEPTA, Metra

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) replaces the first segment of Metro-North Railroad’s Park Avenue Viaduct. Also, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) approves a new strategic plan; the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) hits an average weekday ridership of one million in May; the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announces the return of the historic Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) Trolleys to Route 15; and Metra awards contracts to rebuild 95th St./Chicago State University Station.

NYMTA

The New York MTA on June 12 announced that it has successfully replaced the first section of the aging 130-year-old Park Avenue Viaduct without disrupting Metro-North service.

This, the agency says, “represents a major step toward ensuring this critical transportation infrastructure remains in a state of good repair and enables Metro-North to continue safely delivering record on-time performance.”

The Park Avenue Viaduct is an elevated steel structure that carries four Metro-North Railroad tracks and serves all Metro-North trains traveling into and out of Grand Central Terminal, totaling 750 trains every weekday. This past weekend’s operation utilized two gantry systems, which extend over the viaduct to remove and replace the existing concrete and steel bridge deck with new prefabricated bridge units, weighing around 190,000 pounds each. This innovative approach, the agency says, helped MTA Construction & Development, in partnership with Metro-North Railroad, “perform this work better, faster, and cheaper and without significant disruption for riders.”

Watch the simulation video of the replacement operation below.

“The seamless replacement of the first segment of the Park Avenue Viaduct is a great example of the innovative approach we take to delivering critical projects better, faster, and cheaper,” said MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “Innovation, along with strong project management, will help us to deliver this mega project on time and on budget with little to no impacts to service.”    

“All Metro-North trains to and from Grand Central Terminal pass over the Park Avenue Viaduct, which is more than 130 years old,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “Replacement of this structure is a priority state of good repair project that is critical to our ability to provide safe and reliable service.  We are thrilled that this project is underway, and we will continue to work closely with MTA Construction & Development to minimize impacts to our service.”     

Phase 1 of the project, extending from East 115th Street to East 123rd Street along Park Avenue includes replacement of the existing steel structure, as well as new tracks, power, communications, and signal systems. Substructure construction to replace the viaduct’s foundations and columns began in September 2023 and construction for Phase 1 will continue through 2026. This first round of work is part of the $590 million earmarked for the first phase of the Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement project, of which $500.9 million is federally funded.  

The entirety of the Park Avenue Viaduct runs from the entrance of the Park Avenue Tunnel at East 97th Street to the Harlem River, however, the Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement project focuses on the structural elements in need of repair dating from the 1890s between East 110th Street and the Harlem River Lift Bridge, spanning 1.8 miles. 

DART

The DART Board of Directors on June 12 approved updated Strategic Plan Goals, a new Vision Statement, and a new Mission Statement, all designed to steer the agency toward “a more dynamic, efficient, and community-focused future.”

This comprehensive plan, the agency says, intends to move DART from its current state, “Point A,” to a future where DART becomes a premier regional economic and mobility asset, or “Point B.”

The newly approved plan, the agency says, “outlines a bold vision and will serve as a guiding framework for DART over the next decade. The plan goals articulate a clear pathway that leverages DART as a valued partner in the economic and social landscape of North Texas.” The new vision statement positions DART as “Your first-in-mind mobility partner,” reflecting the agency’s mission and commitment to delivering “best-in-class mobility experiences that help people and communities connect and flourish.”

The plan is organized around six goals, each supported by specific objectives and initiatives:

• “Empowered Agency: Streamline processes and empower employees to create a nimble organization that can respond swiftly and effectively to challenges.
• “Culture of Contribution: Foster a culture of trust and collaboration, aligning roles and responsibilities with DART’s vision to enhance performance and accountability.
• “Quality Service: Deliver a quality customer experience defined by strong rider advocacy, professional pride, and continuous improvement.
• “Seamless Mobility: Integrate mobility options to create a seamless travel experience characterized by frequency and reliability, making DART the first choice for regional travel.
• “Fantastic Spaces: Develop engaging and valuable spaces that enhance the rider experience and contribute to community sustainability and vibrancy.
• “Strategic Relationships: Position DART as a collaborative leader and recognized regional economic and mobility asset through strong partnerships and advocacy.”

“The development of this Strategic Plan involved extensive input from our employees, customers, city leaders, and regional partners,” said DART Board Chair Gary Slagel. “It’s a testament to our collective commitment to making DART a strategic and valued asset in North Texas. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the DART leadership team to bring this vision to life.”

“This plan marks a significant turning point for DART,” said DART President and CEO Nadine Lee. “It reflects our commitment to both improve transit services and enhance the quality of life for the communities we serve. We are focused on making DART the first choice for mobility, and this plan sets everything in motion to achieve this brilliant future.”

Through the Point B Strategic plan, DART says it “aims to transform its transit facilities into community assets, foster strategic partnerships with local governments and businesses, and create fantastic spaces around transit hubs that support economic development and quality of life.”

DART says it is committed to transparency and accountability and the Strategic Plan will include an action matrix with timelines and metrics to track progress. Annual reports will be published to communicate accomplishments and necessary refinements, “ensuring that DART stays on course to achieve its strategic goals.”

More information is available here.

CTA

CTA on June 12 announced that it provided 27.7 million train and bus rides in May, bringing the weekday ridership average up to one million for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

“This report of one million weekday rides indicates that the promising trends in our public transit system have tangible results,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Transit continues to have a substantial economic impact on our city and region, and we remain dedicated to ensuring it is safe and accessible for all.”

Ridership on bus routes that received additional scheduled service was up 10% on weekdays in May compared to March, while the other bus routes also saw gains of 3%. The additional service has also led to a noticeable decrease in average wait times.

“This milestone shows that CTA is on track and providing the services that our customers deserve and need! Thanks to our ongoing, aggressive recruiting, hiring and training efforts, our bus and rail services are more reliable and we’re also providing more services,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “As planned, we will continue to deliver on our promise of providing pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, and I am optimistic that we will be consistently averaging 1 million rides in just a few months.”

So far in 2024, CTA says it has experienced 22 days where ridership has exceeded one million—12 of which were in May. Over the course of 2023, the CTA saw 27 days where ridership exceeded one million rides per day.

The final Friday in May, May 31, was the highest ridership Friday since the start of the pandemic with a little over 1 million rides, according to the agency. Friday ridership is typically 5% lower than other weekday ridership.

CTA says it has made significant progress in hiring new bus and rail operators to address workforce shortages and the usual trends of attrition. The agency plans to train up to 200 new operators, double the number in 2023. On the bus side, CTA hired 1,000 new bus operators in 2023 and is close to reaching its optimal staffing levels.

SEPTA

SEPTA on June 12 announced the return of its iconic green and cream PCC Trolleys to Route 15, with service starting this Sunday, June 16. SEPTA officials celebrated this milestone with employees at West Philadelphia’s Woodland Shop, which is the agency’s heavy-duty trolley repair facility.

Work has been completed on eight trolleys so far. Route 15 will operate with a combination of trolleys and buses along Girard Avenue and Richmond Street. This, SEPTA says, allows the agency to deploy the restored trolleys while maintaining frequency on the route.

“SEPTA is fortunate to have a talented workforce that can be counted on to maximize the limited resources that are available for improvements,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. “At a fraction of the cost of new vehicles, these historic trolleys have been meticulously restored, and they are now ready to serve our riders.”

SEPTA’s Trolley Restoration Team has been innovative in finding solutions to restore these 75-year-old vehicles. This included extensive research and review of original blueprints from the 1940s, so they could reverse engineer and fabricate parts that are no longer manufactured.

“This is a truly extraordinary effort by SEPTA’s workforce,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “This is a difficult task under any circumstance, but the Trolley Restoration Team also had to contend with once-in-a-generation challenges—from the pandemic to global supply chain shortages. Despite this, they have managed to beautifully restore these trolleys in a way that honors their historical significance to the communities we serve, while preparing them to serve our customers for years to come.”

Easily recognized by their retro design, the PCC Trolleys, SEPTA says, “embody a rich history in Philadelphia”—a staple for 75 years along Route 15, which serves Port Richmond to West Philadelphia via Girard Avenue. The St. Louis Car Co. originally built the PCC Trolleys in 1947, and they remained in service until 1992. In 2005, Brookville Equipment Corp. rebuilt and modernized 18 PCCs to be ADA accessible, which then returned to Route 15.

After 15 years of trekking through rain, snow, and road salt, the PCC Trolleys were due for another restoration, SEPTA said. In January 2020, with major PennDOT construction planned for I-95 and I-76, SEPTA suspended trolley service on Route 15 and substituted it with bus service.

“These trolleys have been taken apart and rebuilt piece-by-piece—from the frames to the floors, from the windows to the wheelchair lifts,” said SEPTA Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer. “The PCCs are workhorses, and thanks to our dedicated team, these iconic vehicles are ready to make their return—restored to near museum-quality standards.”

The PCC Trolleys will eventually be replaced by the new trolley fleet as part of Trolley Modernization—SEPTA’s program to transform the nation’s largest trolley network into an “accessible, fast, and easy-to-use system.” Since it could take as long as a decade for full implementation of the project, restoring the PCC Trolleys gives SEPTA the ability to run ADA accessible trolleys on Route 15 in the interim.

Metra

The Metra Board of Directors on June 12 approved a $33.4 million contract to rehabilitate and expand the 95th St./Chicago State University Station on the Metra Electric Line, with a goal of improving the station’s accessibility and its connection to the university.

The contract, awarded to John Burns Construction of Westmont, Ill., includes the replacement of the existing headhouse, platform and stairs; construction of a new street-level entrance on 95th St. with a new storefront, enclosed entrance area, and a new elevator; construction of a new platform with full-length canopy; construction of a new CSU campus headhouse; and a walkway and bike lane that connects to a new commuter parking lot and new tunnel entrance.

The work is expected to start later this summer and take about 40 months to complete.

The 95th Street/CSU Station is one of several Metra Electric Line stations being renovated as part of a multiyear, multimillion-dollar effort to improve and make accessible stations along the line. Work is currently under way at the 79th Street/Chatham, 103rd Street/Rosemoor, 147th Street/Sibley and Homewood stations, and work is expected to start later this year at the 87th Street/Woodruff Station.

“We are prioritizing improvement on the Metra Electric Line to make them accessible to persons with disabilities,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “At the same time, this is an opportunity to grow our relationship with Chicago State University and build a station that is a gateway between the school and our system.”

“Today’s approval of the contract for the remodel and transformation of the Metra station on Chicago State University’s campus will provide our campus and community with access to critical transit assets and connectivity,” said Z Scott, President of Chicago State University. “Access to equitable transit spurs economic development, benefiting our community and the region. Today’s announcement, which has been more than five years in the making, would not have been possible without the collaboration and leadership of political and government officials, including U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois Sen. Elgie Sims Jr., Illinois Reps. Nick Smith and Marcus Evans, Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore, Ald. Michelle A. Harris, the Metra Board of Directors and Chair Romayne C. Brown, the Metra leadership team led by Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski, and the impactful members of our community all working together toward the realization of this transit transformation.”