GO Transit

High school students this summer will shadow CTA’s construction management team and document the 5.6-mile Red Line Extension project. (Project Rendering Courtesy of CTA)

Transit Briefs: CTA, Minn. Met Council, NJT, SEPTA, Metrolinx

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.

Metrolinx’s East Harbour Transit Hub in Toronto will be located on the Lakeshore East and Stouffville GO Transit rail lines. The station will provide connections to the Ontario Line subway and future Toronto Transit Commission services. (Rendering Courtesy of Metrolinx)

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, Transit Tech Lab, WMATA

The Rail Connect Partners joint venture has entered into an alliance development agreement with Toronto’s Metrolinx for the East Harbour Transit Hub. Also, New York regional transportation agencies launch their sixth-annual tech competition; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) celebrates a transit-oriented development project at the North Bethesda Metro Station in Maryland.

From May through October, the number of trains negatively impacted by BART Police Department incidents fell by more than 60%. (BART Photograph)

Transit Briefs: BART, GO Transit, Metrolink

The number of police incidents impacting San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) service is declining. Also, rail planning and operations software has been selected for Metrolinx’s GO Rail Expansion–On-Corridor Works program; and Southern California’s Metrolink schedules a temporary service outage to complete a three-year modernization project.

Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure, has debuted legislation proposing that municipalities fund the design and construction of new GO Transit stations, according to The Canadian Press.

Transit Briefs: GO Transit, NYPD/NYMTA, PennDOT, REM

Ontario, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure eyes a new way of funding GO Transit stations. Also, an autonomous security robot will report for duty in the New York City Subway; Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Norfolk Southern (NS) finalize an agreement to expand Amtrak Pennsylvanian passenger rail service; and noise mitigation measures are being implemented on Réseau express métropolitain in Montreal.

The environmental review and permitting process for the planned Victor Valley-to-Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. segment of Brightline West’s Las Vegas-to-Southern California high-speed rail project is complete, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported July 14.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, Brightline West, Metrolinx, NYMTA

Idaho and Utah are seeking to revive Amtrak service between Salt Lake City and Boise. Also, Brightline West’s planned Las Vegas-to Southern California high-speed rail project advances; Metrolinx teams with Turo car-sharing in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area; and subway and bus workers in TWU Local 100 ratify their contract with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and an MTA survey shows increased satisfaction for subway, bus and paratransit riders.

Metrolinx Selects BCP for Bowmanville Extension

Metrolinx has selected Bowmanville Construction Partners (BCP), a joint venture of Ledcor CMI Ltd. and Dragados Canada Inc., as construction manager for the Bowmanville Extension project, which will extend the GO Transit Lakeshore East Line

Two additional Amtrak Northeast Regional trains will serve Springfield (Mass.) Union Station starting June 5. (Amtrak Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, GO Transit, NNEPRA, VRE, WMATA

Amtrak is expanding Northeast Regional service. Also, GO Transit adds 12 roundtrips per week between Toronto’s Union Station and Niagara Falls, Ontario; Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), which oversees Amtrak Downeaster service, selects an advertising agency of record; Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will offer fare-free Fridays this summer; and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is seeking rider feedback on the look, layout and features of its new 8000 series rapid transit cars, to be built by Hitachi Rail.

Metrolinx has released an Initial Business Case on the feasibility of adding a Highway 7/Concord GO Station to the Barrie Line. (Metrolinx Photograph)

Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, NYMTA, St. Louis MetroLink, SMART, STM

Metrolinx considers adding a new GO rail station to the Barrie Line, north of Toronto. Also, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will start boosting subway train frequency this summer as ridership reaches record levels; St. Louis MetroLink will test metal detectors at stations; construction will begin this fall on a new Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) commuter rail station; and Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is deploying safety ambassadors, special constables and custodial employees to improve security and station cleanliness.