Ontario breaks ground on Toronto-Scarborough subway extension
The first of the government of Ontario’s priority transit projects has broken ground. The Scarborough Subway Extension will add three stops and bring Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 2 subway nearly 8 km (nearly 5 mi) from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road in Scarborough. The extension, which will replace an existing line and connect with other transit options, is expected to give nearly 40,000 people access to rapid transit when it opens in 2029 or 2030. Ridership is targeted to reach 105,000 by 2041. The project is expected to cost C$5.5 B (US$4.56 B). [citynews.ca]
Boston’s Green Line Extension will have a later start date
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) officials have announced that a portion of the 4.7-mile project pulling the Green Line out to Somerville and Medford will not open until December. The Extension’s Union Square stop in Somerville was slated to open in October. The entire line will not be running until Spring 2022. Supply chain issues due to Covid-19 are to blame for the delay.
The Green Line Extension project currently sits at 80% complete, with 65% of the track work done.[rtands.com]
Baltimore recommends against building $10 B maglev train to Washington
Baltimore officially came out against the proposed high-speed Northeast Maglev train to Washington, recommending against building it due to concerns about equity and the project’s effects on the environment. Using Japanese superconducting magnetic levitation technology, the train promises to shorten the trip between Baltimore and Washington to 15 minutes before eventually being expanded to New York, creating an hourlong trip between the nation’s capital and its most populated city. [baltimoresun.com]
Plans unveiled for network of European ‘hotels on rails’ sleeper trains
A French start-up has revealed plans for a new network of overnight services from Paris to 12 European destinations, including Edinburgh and Porto. Midnight Trains hopes to reinvent the overnight train experience by launching a “hotel on rails” that offers a greener alternative to flying and a more comfortable alternative to basic night train services. The trains, expected to cover distances of 800-1500 km (500-900 mi) to and from Paris, will feature “hotel-style” rooms, an onboard restaurant, a bar and an app-operated concierge service. [cnn.com]
