Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Farhad Mansourian, GM of SMART, the commuter rail system currently under construction, discusses the status of the project, rider experience comparisons, proposals for connections and, system expansion and cost savings.

Officials want to move a commuter rail station 460 feet south as part of a $300 million arts and transit project. Critics believe the change will cause conflict for cyclists, vehicles and pedestrians.

The service's rail project — which is expected to take five years to complete — will cause many traffic problems, which could be an opportunity to attract people to transit. However, keeping buses running on time during the project could be difficult.

The projects include new track and signal systems that will ease freight, Amtrak, and Metra congestion, and support 3,300 jobs throughout the six-county Chicagoland area.

Exclusions determined do not individually or cumulatively have significant effects on the human or natural environment so do not require the preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The rail line relocation competitive grant program funds projects that reduce the adverse effects of rail infrastructure on safety, motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, community quality of life or economic development. Projects getting the funding include the Massachusetts DOT Patriot Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Initiative and the Indianapolis Downtown Rail Relocation.

Keith Hampson managed and developed complicated rail projects around the world, including major initiatives in the U.K., South America, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.

Reaffirms the administration’s intent to enter into a full funding grant agreement to provide $3 billion in discretionary FTA New Starts funds for the $8.7 billion project.