Transit Briefs: LACMTA, BART, UTA, Phoenix Valley Metro, SEPTA, CV Rail
LACMTA
Parsons will provide design and engineering services for the Claremont Extension of the Metro (LACTMTA) A Line light rail system (see map above), according to the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority (Construction Authority), whose Board on Jan. 29 voted unanimously on the contract award. The Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency that was created in 1998 by the California State Legislature to plan, design, and build the Metro A Line system from Union Station to Claremont (later extended to Montclair).
Parson’s six-year, $60 million contract is the first of two major contracts to be awarded as part of the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, which was adopted by the Construction Authority for the project last year. The contract covers designing all elements of the 2.3-mile, Pomona-to-Claremont light rail extension from its current design level of approximately 30% to “Approved for Construction” drawings, as well as supporting the project with any needed design services during construction, according to the Construction Authority.
Parsons was determined to be the top proposer of the three teams that competed for the design and engineering services contract following a two-step evaluation process, the Construction Authority said. “Parsons scored highest (94 points out of 100) on the evaluation criteria related to the company’s competence and qualifications, as presented in their written proposal, which took into consideration team qualifications such as relevant experience, financial stability, staffing and team organization, and project plan and approach,” it reported. “They also received the highest score during the interview stage (47 points out of 50).”
“While we evaluated three highly qualified teams, Parsons distinguished themselves as the clear leader for the Claremont Extension,” Foothill Gold Line Board Chair and Claremont Vice Mayor Ed Reece said. “Their deep experience designing light rail projects, including with previous phases of the Foothill Gold Line, ensures they possess the specialized expertise needed to deliver this critical phase, bringing us one step closer to fulfilling our 25-station mandate and enhancing regional mobility, quality of life, and the environment.”
“Parsons has led design teams for each phase of this project for the past 25 years, and we are excited to once again be selected to continue that legacy,” commented Mark Fialkowski, President, Infrastructure North America for Parsons. “Extending light rail options opens access to neighborhoods that were once limited for commuters. The A Line expansion will improve commuter and visitor access between downtown Los Angeles and the eastern portion of Los Angeles County. It is rewarding for everyone who has been involved at Parsons to see the next segment move forward to design and come one step closer to fruition.”
According to the Construction Authority, now under way is the procurement process to hire the contractor (through a construction manager contract)—the second of the two contracts needed to deliver the project by CMAR. The Construction Authority Board on Jan. 29 approved release of the Request for Proposals (RFP), following a successful industry review period of the draft RFP that was completed late last year. The construction manager contract is expected to be awarded in May and will include an initial phase of work during project design that includes providing constructability reviews, value engineering, third-party coordination, and cost estimating; “with the possibility of building the project if the team successfully negotiates a construction services contract with an acceptable price once the project reaches 85%-90% design,” according to the Construction Authority. Assuming a successful bid for the construction work, it is expected that major construction would begin in late-2027 or early-2028 and take approximately four years to complete.
Service on the Metro A Line’s Glendora-to-Pomona extension began last fall.
BART
BART on Jan. 29 reported that overall crime on its system in 2025 plummeted 41% from the previous year, with violent crime down 31% and property crime down 43%, according to the December 2025 Chief’s Monthly Report. Additional highlights include auto thefts decreasing by half year-over-year and robberies decreasing by 60%, said the transit agency, which runs a 131-mile, 50-station rapid transit system.
“This substantial decrease in crimes in the system comes as ridership continues to grow steadily, with BART serving nearly 5 million more trips in 2025 than in 2024, a year that also saw ridership growth in addition to a drop in crime,” BART noted.
“Safety is about more than enforcement; it’s about presence, partnership, and creating an environment where all riders feel comfortable using BART,” BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin said. “BART PD is committed to deterring criminal activity, responding quickly when help is needed, and ensuring riders feel safe throughout their journeys. These numbers demonstrate the impact of officers who are engaged and focused on building trust with the communities BART serves.”
“Riders are witnessing firsthand the improvements to safety, cleanliness, and customer experience that define the New BART,” BART General Manager Bob Powers added. “We’ve combined infrastructure upgrades, such as improved fare gates and station lighting, with additional safety presence and customer-centered service to make BART a comfortable experience for everyone who rides. I want to thank BART PD for their tireless commitment to serving the public.”
According to the transit agency, BART PD has doubled officer presence systemwide and ensured police are riding trains more often. This approach, it said, is strengthened by BART’s ongoing use of unarmed Crisis Intervention Specialists, Transit Ambassadors, Fare Inspectors, and Community Service Officers.
Safety efforts have also been bolstered by the installation of 715 new fare gates at all 50 stations, a project completed in August 2025, four months ahead of schedule, according to BART, which noted that the “taller, stronger fare gates are improving the station environment and deterring fare evasion and unwanted behavior.” The number of riders who say they’ve witnessed someone not paying has dropped 59% in the past year, it added.
Additionally, BART said it maintains a network of 4,000-plus surveillance cameras, “minimizing response time and holding suspects accountable,” and continues to install LED lighting on platforms and in parking facilities to eliminate dark corners. Efforts such as these, it noted, not only improve safety, but also the “entirety of the BART experience by making the system more welcoming and comfortable.”
In other BART news, the transit agency earlier this month teamed with Uber Transit on first mile/last mile planning and payment, and was one of 24 regional transit partners in California that together launched an electronic fare payment system last year.
UTA
UTA on Jan. 29 reported logging more than 40.3 million boardings in 2025 across commuter rail, light rail, streetcar, bus, vanpool, paratransit and microtransit services. “Strong UTA ridership results reflect a largely stable year overall in 2025, with notable growth in several key services,” it said. “Bus ridership remained the backbone of the system, carrying more than 20.6 million riders and posting a solid 1.5% year-over-year increase. The most significant gains came from UTA’s flexible and shared services: Vanpool ridership surged 15.7%, reaching more than 1.3 million trips, while UTA On Demand grew 13.6% to 645,308 boardings, highlighting strong demand for adaptable, commuter-focused options. The UTA On Demand program exceeded 2 million total riders since the service began in 2019. The S-Line streetcar also saw modest growth, increasing 0.4% year over year. Paratransit again provided more than 360,000 rides, FrontRunner [commuter rail] moved more than 4 million for the second year in a row, and TRAX [light rail] saw nearly 13 million customers.”
According to UTA, other recent rail-related achievements include:
- Opening the South Jordan Downtown Station, a new TRAX Red Line station to accommodate area growth and to serve as a direct access point to The Ballpark at America First Square, new home of the Salt Lake Bees.
- Approving the purchase of 20 new low-floor CITYLINK light rail vehicles from Stadler for Salt Lake City’s TRAX light rail system Modernization project.
Looking ahead, the transit agency said 2026 “will bring more service, frequency, and improvements to UTA’s growing ridership,” including bus expansion, the beginning of S-Line streetcar extension construction, and building improvements (such as the new Ogden Admin Building and Jordan River operations, maintenance, and training facilities).
“2025 was a year that showed the strength and momentum of public transit in Utah,” UTA Executive Director Jay Fox said. “Serving more than 40 million customers reflects the trust placed in UTA every day. As Utah continues to grow, we’re focused on expanding access, improving frequency, and investing in modern infrastructure. Earning APTA’s [American Public Transportation Association’s] top system award and accelerating projects like the Midvalley Express [bus route] are clear signs of our regional commitment and success. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and excited about what’s ahead for UTA customers across the Wasatch Front.”
Separately, Paul Ray earlier this month joined UTA as Government Relations Director.
Phoenix Valley Metro
Phoenix Vally Metro on Jan. 29 reported being identified by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) as one of the top transit agencies in the nation for ridership growth, ranking in the top five among mid-sized U.S. transit systems (defined as agencies with 15 million to 50 million annual trips). In 2025, Valley Metro recorded 40,286,288 total rides across all modes—from regional bus, streetcar and light rail to paratransit services—up 7.3% from 37,530,214 rides in 2024.
Ridership growth was also supported by major system investments, including the Northwest Extension Phase II (NWEII) and the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub (SCEDH) light rail extensions, which increased access and helped bring more riders to the system, according to Valley Metro. Since opening in early 2024, the NWEII extension logged 568,567 boardings in 2024 and 751,278 in 2025, a 32.1% increase. Since opening last June, the SCEDH extension recorded 1,355,511 boardings, accounting for an average of 20% of all boardings.
“Valley Metro is proud to be holding strong alongside our national peers as transit agencies continue to navigate a dynamic environment,” Valley Metro CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller said. “This growth reflects our focus on delivering more reliable service while improving rider experience across the system. We are looking forward to building on this momentum in 2026.”
Separately, the Phoenix City Council this month approved a new expansion of Valley Metro’s light rail system to west Phoenix.
SEPTA
New schedules for SEPTA’s Regional Rail commuter lines will go into effect Feb. 1 and include additional trips on the Wilmington, Trenton, and Chestnut Hill East lines, and increased service frequency from Wayne Junction directly to the Philadelphia International Airport, SEPTA reported Jan. 29. Beginning Feb. 2, it said, the changes will reflect implementation of 10 leased MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter Rail) railcars, with planned operation on the West Trenton and Trenton Regional Rail lines. “Inclusion of these cars [which arrived in December] will increase the number of vehicles in service for the morning and evening rush and allow more cars per train,” SEPTA reported. “This will help ease crowding conditions that persist on some trains as SEPTA works to complete federally mandated repairs to the 50-year-old Silverliner IV fleet.”
SEPTA earlier this month restored all morning express trips on Regional Rail; evening express trips were restored last November. The transit agency reported Jan. 9 that repairs had been completed on 180 of the 223 Silverliner IV cars, which make up approximately two-thirds of the Regional Rail fleet.
On Oct. 1, 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an investigative report and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued an Emergency Order in response to Silverliner IV train fires. As part of SEPTA’s compliance with the FRA Emergency Order, Silverliner IVs have since been rotated from service for inspections, testing, and safety upgrades, which has led to train delays, overcrowding and cancellations.
Designed and built by General Electric, the Silverliner IV is the fourth-generation EMU (electric multiple unit) in the Silverliner family and was delivered in batches between 1973 and 1976. The Silverliner IVs were operated by the Reading Company until Reading’s absorption into Conrail in 1976. SEPTA took over commuter rail operations and the Silverliner IV fleet from Conrail in 1983. Silverliner IVs now represent approximately 223 of the 390 passenger-carrying railcars (which include passenger coaches, cab cars, and self-propelled units) in SEPTA’s Regional Rail operations fleet. “The Silverliner IV fleet has not been refurbished since its original deployment,” according to the NTSB.
FRA Emergency Order No. 34 requires SEPTA to take 15 specific actions including operator and mechanical personnel training, installation of new thermal detectors, daily maintenance quality control inspections, and a point-to-point inspection of every Silverliner IV railcar. In response to the FRA’s Emergency Order and the NTSB’s report, SEPTA said it added the following measures:
- “In-person inspectors are now present on all trains passing through Center City stations to conduct safety checks and respond quickly to any equipment issues.
- “Mid-run inspections have been added to review fault indicator lights and other critical systems while trains are in operation, supplementing existing pre- and post-run inspections.
- “Live video monitoring allows SEPTA’s Control Center supervisors to view train interiors in real time to check indicator lights and system alerts, ensuring quicker response to any potential issues.
- “Expanded maintenance staffing ensures that inspection and repair work can be completed more quickly and around the clock to meet the FRA’s deadlines.
- “Enhanced employee safety briefings and trainings are being conducted to ensure all operators, mechanics, and inspectors understand new reporting and inspection protocols.
- “Improved documentation and data sharing have been implemented so that all inspection results, repairs, and follow-up actions are logged, tracked, and reported directly to FRA for review.
- “Public communication measures are in place to keep riders informed about safety progress, expected service adjustments, and ongoing compliance updates.”
“SEPTA has committed to enhanced inspection and maintenance routines for these aging railcars to ensure safe and reliable service as we work through a multi-year process to purchase a replacement fleet,” SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said on Jan. 9. “The railcars we have returned to service are performing extremely well, and we expect that to continue moving forward.”
In other SEPTA news, a new quarterly report shows that crime continues to drop on the system and ridership for December 2025 decreased 1%.
Further Reading:
CV Rail
The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) on Jan. 29 reported approving an $80 million contract with HDR Engineering to begin the next phase of environmental studies for CV Rail, a proposed daily intercity passenger rail service that would connect Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley, with stops at Los Angeles Union Station, Riverside, and destinations in the Coachella Valley along a 144-mile corridor (see map below). The service is proposed as an alternate mode of east-west travel across southern California. According to RCTC, Amtrak will likely operate service; BNSF, Metrolink and Union Pacific own various portions of the proposed right-of-way.
The contract will cover the preparation and delivery of an environmental document that RCTC said will meet all state and federal regulatory requirements, design, and station planning in collaboration with Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) and other partners. According to RCTC, in 2022 it unanimously certified the Final Tier 1/Program-Level Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, and In 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration added CV Rail to the Corridor ID program, “putting the project in a position to better compete for federal funding to advance to final design and construction.”
“CV Rail is a vital transportation investment that will connect Riverside County—particularly the San Gorgonio Pass and Coachella Valley—with the rest of Southern California through daily passenger rail service,” RCTC Chair and Cathedral City Mayor Raymond Gregory said. “This project delivers benefits that will positively impact our region for generations. At its core, CV Rail is all about offering residents, visitors, and commuters better choices and smart alternatives to traveling solely by automobile. While there is still work ahead, today’s decision brings us one important step closer to construction.”
