Omaha Metro Gets TIGER Grant for BRT Line
Omaha Metro received a $15 million TIGER Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the development of an eight mile bus rapid transit line.
These improvements include 14 station pairs that will be served by eight state-of-the-art BRT vehicles. The corridor serves major retail, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, three major medical complexes, all of Omaha’s five Fortune 500 companies, and the dense, mixed use Midtown Crossing urban area.
“The TIGER grant will help construct an eight-mile BRT system offering enhanced urban arterial transit service with upgraded passenger amenities for convenience and comfort and infrastructure improvements to improve speed and reliability,” Metro Executive Director Curt Simon said.
Local bus service operating on this alignment carries more than 11 percent of Metro’s daily passengers. Construction of the BRT system will shorten travel along the corridor by 15.7 minutes, improving mobility and connectivity along the corridor. BRT implementation will improve the level of transit service in the community, reducing daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 4,244,500 VMT per year.
www.MassTransitmag.com/12004065
MARTA announced it achieved ISO 14001:2004 Recognition
MARTA GM/CEO Keith T. Parker, and members of the management team hoisted the ISO 14001:2004 flag outside of the Armour Yard rail maintenance facility recognizing the employees who made this acknowledgement possible.
“Many transit agencies maintain good environmental compliance. Through our EMS, MARTA is exceeding regulatory requirements and committed to being environmentally responsible in all our business practices. This represents a system-wide effort to be a good corporate citizen and, as an added benefit, we’re saving money,” Parker said.
www.MassTransitmag.com/12003447
All Aboard Florida Taps Siemens for Trains
Siemens has been selected to build the locomotives and passenger coaches for the All Aboard Florida passenger rail project that will connect South and Central Florida. All Aboard Florida and Siemens have been working together extensively on the development and design of the passenger rail cars that will transport millions of tourists, leisure and business travelers along Florida's east coast.
This will be the first privately-owned, operated and maintained passenger rail system in the U.S. When completed, it will also be one of the highest speed train routes running in the country today, operating at maximum speeds up to 125 mph
"This is an exciting time for rail in America. Intercity rail is an important lever to improve existing infrastructure challenges and bolster city and state economies, clearly something that All Aboard Florida will succeed at doing," said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens' Rail Systems Division in the U.S. "Everyone is watching the development of this progressive operation with great interest, and we are extremely proud to be part of this effort."
www.MassTransitmag.com/11685543
RTC Gets 80 New CNG Paratransit Buses
RO Bus Sales delivered the last in the first round of 80 new paratransit buses to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC).
The paratransit vehicles are modified to meet strictRTC and federal safety standards under a $7.67 million contract the RTC awarded in October 2013 with four options for an additional 320 units through 2017. It includes purchasing the buses and “up-fitting” them to more environmentally-friendly CNG powered units and adding safety features.
With the contract, RO Bus Sales added six full-time employees, including a project planner, production foreman, installers and two service technicians. The company also now provides steady work for four local subcontractors.
“Safety and efficient operations are top priorities for the RTC, and these paratransit units are industry-leading vehicles in these critical areas,” said Tina Quigley, RTC general manager. “We are extremely pleased with the responsiveness and results from our new partnership with RO Bus Sales. Not only is the company providing quality services to the RTC that will benefit our customers, but RO Bus Sales also is creating new jobs locally and helping grow our economy.”
www.MassTransitmag.com/11685188
MBTA Gets TIGER Grant to Modernize Station
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) received $20 million in TIGER funds towards a $30 million project to modernize Ruggles Station.
Ruggles Station is an urban intermodal facility that serves MBTA commuter rail, bus, the Orange Line subway and private bus shuttles, as well as pedestrian and bicycle access. The project will add a second platform at the station, eliminating the need for passengers to transfer at Back Bay Station, resulting in a shorter and more efficient commute for thousands of riders, including residents of Roxbury, a disadvantaged area where Ruggles Station is located. The project also brings the station into full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, brings rail tracks into a state of good repair and improves the connection between the station and employment, education and cultural centers.
“We congratulate the citizens of Boston and the Roxbury neighborhood, who are the true winners in obtaining these highly competitive TIGER grant funds,” said Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan. “This project will improve access to efficient, reliable public transportation for thousands of area residents and students who depend on the T to reach jobs, schools, medical care, and other important destinations.”
www.MassTransitmag.com/12003687
Via Begins Phase II of Transit Center Project
Via Metropolitan Transit celebrated progress on its Westside Multimodal Transit Center Sept. 5 with a ceremonial groundbreaking on the second phase of the project, which includes a state-of-the-art transit plaza.
Phase II of the Transit Center will be completed in Fall 2015 and will function as a transit hub, improving accessibility to the UTSA Downtown Campus and the University Health System’s Robert B. Green Campus.
“This facility will create new foot traffic and encourage transit-oriented development in the area,” Via Chairman Alex Briseño said, stating that the project represents Via’s commitment to the community and to improving the daily transit experience for Via riders. He asked the audience to imagine the plaza as a congregational place for the community at the “gateway to the West Side, el corazon de San Antonio (the heart of San Antonio).”
The Westside Multimodal Transit Center is part of VIA’s SmartMove initiative and is included in Via’s 2035 Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
www.MassTransitmag.com/11681464
