$8.5B approved for SE LA County light rail line
Transportation officials have approved a long-delayed 19.3-mile light rail line that would serve working-class Latino communities in southeast Los Angeles County; agreeing to look for ways to speed up the project slated for completion in 2043. The line, to run from Artesia northwest to Union Station would provide key connections to other lines. But with costs ballooning to $8.5 billion — more than double the original estimate — the Metropolitan Transportation Authority decided to construct the project in two segments. [latimes.com]
Charleston-area gets $860K grant for rapid transit
The Charleston-area Council of Governments (COG) has been awarded $860,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for transit-oriented development along the proposed 21.5-mile Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) corridor. An initial grant was awarded in 2018. This second phase focuses primarily on developing a strategic plan for implementing equitable transit-oriented development including a combination of commercial, residential, office and entertainment centered around or near transit stations. [charlestoncitypaper.com]
Maryland OKs modification to Purple Line agreement
The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) has approved modification of the Purple Line Public-Private Partnership Agreement. The decision enables the project to begin construction this spring and move past a challenging era in project development. The modified agreement between several public transportation partners recognizes Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS) as the project’s design-build team; a selection made following a competitive proposal process. The project’s cost, updated to $9.3 billion, incorporates the new design-build contract of $3.4 billion. [masstransitmag.com]
St. Louis now has until March to OK trolley restart
Federal authorities have extended the deadline for local leaders to come up with a plan to restart St. Louis’s Loop Trolley service. Local officials now have until March 1 to approve a plan to get the trolley running again. Leaders were originally given a Feb. 1 deadline to approve a plan to restart service by this summer. In a December letter to Mayor Tishaura Jones and other officials, the Federal Transportation Authority said if a plan was not approved in time, the trolley’s backers could have to pay back millions of dollars in federal funding to create the 2.2-mile route. [stlpublicradio.org]
Phoenix’s light rail proj on track despite omicron surge
While a spike in infections from the omicron variant of the coronavirus has hampered some workplaces, construction of the Valley Metro’s south-central light rail extension in Phoenix is still on schedule. Construction is still in its early phases, where work schedules can be changed to accommodate need and staff availability. Kiewit, the contractor on the project, said its guidance on employees who are exposed to the virus or become ill are those directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hiring continues to be on track as well. [azcentral.com]
