Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The estimated $43.3 million multimodal center project in Normal, Ill. was completely funded by a $22 million TIGER grant, FTA grants, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grants, and bonds issued by the Town of Normal.

Provides secure parking for 74 bikes and helps more cyclists make connections to bus and MAX. Also features BikeLink keycard access and security cameras.The agency is using $1.1 million in stimulus funds for three Bike & Rides, as well as replacement and refurbishment of 174 bike lockers.

The $740,000 will be used to improve safety, security and fare compliance at the Gresham Central MAX station and stations along the Eastside MAX line.

The Choctaw Nation will use the $480,374 grant for vehicle and technology upgrades. The non-reservation tribe provides transportation services for all the residents of a 10-and-a-half-county area of southeast Oklahoma, where many members of the tribe live.

The ARRA project will improve reliability and service for Haverhill commuter rail line customers with the installation of a double-track along the Haverhill line and improvements to the train control systems that have affected on-time performance.

The $13.5 million project will replace the 30-year-old Merlo Fuel & Wash building and build a LIFT facility for TriMet's Westside operations. Project is the largest among the 29 stimulus projects agency has undertaken.

ARRA funded $1 million of the $1.1 million project, which added 329 parking spaces and included the construction of two new stairways to the platforms. A bus bay and landscaping will be completed this spring.

New lot offers 120 daily spaces and 357 permit parking spaces, and more than doubles parking capacity at Edison Station.

Calls for language to ensure the funds allocated to the traditional highway program go toward projects that restore transportation networks and funding for the high-speed rail and TIGER programs to create green jobs.

The $32 million, of which $17 million will come from the ARRA Tribal Transit Program, will pay for 100 transit projects for tribes in 22 states.