Construction begins on NJ’s critical Portal Bridge
Long-awaited construction on a replacement for New Jersey’s vilified and dated Portal Bridge has begun. Top transportation officials gathered Monday to mark the start of construction on the $2.3B replacement for the swing-span rail crossing that notoriously gets stuck after opening for marine traffic on the Hackensack River. The bridge is part of the first phase of the Gateway program, a series of projects that also includes the $12.3B construction of new train tunnels into New York Penn Station. [railway-news.com]
Los Angeles airport unveils 1st people mover car
Los Angeles International Airport has provided a glimpse of how travelers will get to terminals via the airport’s long-awaited Automated People Mover with officials unveiling the first of 44 train cars. The system, which is set to open in 2023, is meant to reduce congestion around LAX while also connecting folks to the country’s fifth-busiest travel hub via regional public transportation, including LA Metro. [siliconvalley.com]
Union ratifies 3-year pact with Canada’s VIA Rail
Members of Canada’s Unifor union have ratified the contracts from last month’s tentative agreement between the union and VIA Rail Canada covering some 2,400 VIA worker. The union represents on-board personnel, maintenance workers, and those in VIA’s customer center and administrative offices. The new agreements will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022, and run through Dec. 31, 2024. They include raises of 5.5% in 2022, 3.5% in 2023, and 2.5% in 2024. [trains.com]
Boston subway line closing for month-long repairs
An entire Boston subway line that serves about 100,000 passengers daily will be closed a month for urgent repairs, authorities announced Wednesday, the latest blow to the transit system’s beleaguered riders. The 20-station Orange Line, which runs north-south through central Boston and diverse neighborhoods, will be shuttered for 30 days beginning August 19th. The service will be replaced by shuttle buses and offset by beefed-up commuter rail service during that time. [bloomberg.com]
