Amtrak suspends San Diego-LA … Feds OK Honolulu rail plan … Transit ridership recovery continues

Track repairsat San Clamente
Amtrak and Metrolink have suspended San Diego to Los Angeles train services because ground underneath a stretch of seaside track in southern California has shifted. © Pacific Surfliner

Storm effects close Amtrak San Diego-LA corridor
Amtrak and Metrolink have suspended train services linking San Diego to Los Angeles – along with the rest of the US – because ground underneath a stretch of seaside track in southern California has shifted. Service has been suspended indefinitely in the community of San Clemente, on the border of Orange and San Diego counties. The move comes after a recent ocean surge associated with Tropical Storm Kay shifted the coastal tracks. The tracks serve as the only viable link that connects San Diego with LA and the rest of the country. [apnews.com]

Feds OK Honolulu Rail Recovery Plan with $125M
The Federal Transit Administration has approved the Honolulu rail project’s recovery plan and will release $125 million of the $744 million it has withheld for years. A second release of $250 million is contingent on the award of a contract for the city center guideway and stations. The decision shortens the route to about 19 miles eliminating its two easternmost stations and defers construction of a Pearl Highlands parking garage. [civilbeat.org]

Post-pandemic transit ridership recovery continues
The American Public Transportation Association has reported the nation’s public transit systems this month collectively reached 70% of pre-pandemic ridership levels. APTA’s Ridership Trends Dashboard tracks ridership data in real time, collected from 130 U.S. transit agencies. Heavy- and light-rail are both at 61% of 2019 ridership, while commuter rail is at 54%. Bus ridership is up slightly higher at 66% of pre-pandemic levels. [progressiverailroading.com]

Phase-in plan may drive up NC Triangle light rail costs up
Inflation has jacked up the price of a GoTriangle commuter rail line in North Carolina to as much as $3.2 billion, so the 40-mile route will be done in phases. Breaking up the project means it will take longer to build and will make it more susceptible to inflation. The line has been divided into three sections: Durham-Triangle Park, Triangle Park-Raleigh, and. Raleigh-Clayton. The first phase is set to be complete between 2033 and 2035 and following sections could each take up to five years to complete. [rtands.com]

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