Author: Carolina Worrell

Courtesy of RIDOT

RIDOT Sets Opening Date for MBTA Pawtucket Station

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) recently announced that the Pawtucket-Central Falls train station, which will connect the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Commuter Rail service with the R.I. Public Transit Authority’s bus service at Pine Street in Pawtucket, could open on Jan. 23, according to a 12 News report.

Photo features Adams Avenue Grade Separation structure in Fresno County. (Courtesy of CHSRA)

CHSRA Opens Three New Structures

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), in collaboration with Dragados-Flatiron Joint Venture, recently announced the completion of three new high-speed rail structures in Fresno and Kings Counties.

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.

CHSRA Selects Stantec to Design Merced-Madera Extension

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) on Dec.19 announced that it has awarded Edmonton, Alberta, Canada-based engineering firm Stantec a $41 million contract to design the 33.9-mile Merced to Madera extension, the key junction that will connect the 500-mile-long project between the Bay Area and Los Angeles.

RTD Resumes Full Service on R Line

Following a derailment that occurred in Aurora on Sept. 21 that impacted the R Line, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) has restored full service to the affected four-mile stretch of the corridor from Aurora Metro Center to the 13th Avenue Station with additional safety measures in place.

Caltrain to Reduce Service for Electrification Construction

Caltrain announced on Nov. 28 that it will temporarily reduce service from Monday, Dec. 5, through Sunday, Dec. 18 to accommodate electrification construction that includes signal cutover work at 16 grade crossings, requiring a 24/7 single-tracking window between Belmont and Mountain View.

Diana Timpson, Senior Project Manager of Rail Transit, HNTB

Timpson Joins HNTB

HNTB has appointed Diana Timpson, PE, PMP, as Senior Project Manager of Rail Transit in the firm’s Seattle, Wash., office.

AAR names environmental award recipients

The Association of American Railroads on April 12, 2016 presented Michael Hoey, a CSX Transportation civil engineer from Philadelphia, Pa., the 2016 John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award. U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) was the 2016 John H. Chafee Congressional Environmental Award.

FRA announces $25 million for PTC implementation

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on April 4, 2016 announced that it is accepting applications for $25 million in competitive grant funding available to railroads, suppliers, and state and local governments for Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation. The funding is part of the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act that funds the U.S. Department of Transportation.