Joe Biden hails plans for Baltimore tunnel fix
On Monday, President Joe Biden stood before the decrepit Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel to promote his 2021 infrastructure law which is just now ramping up the spending on major projects. Biden said replacing the tunnel could slash what’s now a 60-minute Baltimore-to-Washington commute in half. As a senator, the president regularly journeyed home to Delaware on Amtrak through the tunnel. The new tunnel will lead to 20,000 construction jobs and cut down on auto traffic and pollution. [apnews.com]
FTA makes $21B available for transit projs
The Federal Transit Administration is making approximately $21 billion available to transit agencies and communities in the 2023 fiscal year, following the passage of the $1.7 trillion omnibus appropriations bill in December. The FTA says funding will allow agencies to address repair backlogs, modernize fleets, and transition to new technologies that address the climate crisis. California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas will each receive more than $500 million in funds. [smartcitiesdive.com]
Data shows NYC subway safety improving
Since new safety initiatives were launched last fall, major crime in NYC’s subway system is down 16% with the overall crime rate dropping to pre-pandemic levels. Since October, both New York and Metropolitan Transportation Authority police departments have increased officer presence on platforms and the state’s Office of Mental Health has increased support for unhoused individuals sheltering in the subway system and those who are suffering from severe mental illness. [masstransitmag.com]
LA Metro signs on for Ingelwood people mover
The Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) Project, a three-stop, 1.6 mi people mover, is advancing thanks to a new agreement between L.A. Metro and the city of Inglewood. The people mover would connect L.A. Metro’s K Line to housing and commercial centers along an elevated guideway. The route will use Market Street, Manchester Boulevard and Prairie Avenue. The people mover will better connect Inglewood, L.A. County’s fastest growing city, with the L.A. Metro Rail system. [masstransitmag.com]
Burlington Amtrak service off to a strong start
Early ridership numbers show strong support for the 6-month-old Ethan Allen Express rail service between Burlington, Vermont and New York City. Using statistics from Trains in the Valley, a rail advocacy organization in western Massachusetts, Vermont rail booster Carl Fowler reported that the extended Ethan Allen Express route surpassed advocates’ expectations by transporting 7,800 riders in October and 8,000 riders in November, the last month for which figures are available. [sevendaysvt.com]
