Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, City of Edmonton, Amtrak, MBTA, NYMTA, Sound Transit
Metrolinx
Work has officially begun along all parts of the 9.7-mile (15.6-kilometer) Ontario Line, the Ontario government reported Oct. 2. Under the final awarded contract, construction has started on the Don Valley Crossing Bridge and West Don Crossing Bridge, which will carry Ontario Line trains across the Don Valley toward the downtown core (see map, top).
The Ontario Line will exit an underground tunnel on the east side of the Don Valley at Minton Place, south of the Leaside Bridge. The line will then travel over the valley on the new Don Valley Crossing and West Don Crossing bridges, connecting to elevated guideways through Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, cutting transit times by more than half for families and workers along the line, according to the government.
Crews will use a balanced cantilever method to build both bridges, which Metrolinx said will eliminate the need for large sections of scaffolding underneath. With five long spans situated between support columns, the bridges “will not only be more aesthetically pleasing, but will result in a smaller footprint during construction and beyond,” the agency said.
Bridge construction builds on the ongoing progress of the Ontario Line, with partners on board for all contracts and work under way along the entire route, according to Metrolinx. This work includes:
- Getting ready for major construction on the tunnel launch shaft at Exhibition Station. From here, tunnel boring machines will dig the first subway tunnels under Toronto’s downtown core in more than 60 years.
- Conducting major construction at all downtown station sites, including excavations at King-Bathurst, Queen-Spadina, and Moss Park, which began in September. Excavation work will also begin soon at Osgoode and Corktown. The Ontario Line Osgoode Station will link directly to the Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 1 (Yonge-University) and give more than 12,000 daily rush-hour commuters a new interchange connection that will help reduce crowding at Toronto’s Union Station by 14%, according to the Ontario government.
- Making major upgrades to the above-ground rail corridor where Ontario Line trains will run from the lower Don River and into Leslieville, including bridge construction and noise barrier installations.
- Building the foundations needed to support the excavation of a new Ontario Line interchange at the existing Line 2 Pape subway station.
- Preparing for major construction for the new Thorncliffe Park Station and the operations, maintenance and storage facility, where trains will be cleaned and maintained.
Once complete, the Ontario Line will have 15 stations, running from Exhibition Place through the downtown core and connecting to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road. The line will offer more than 40 connections to other subway, bus, streetcar, and regional train services, and is slated to reduce daily car trips by at least 28,000.
The Ontario Line project is part of the Ontario government’s Transportation Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
City of Edmonton, Alberta
Infrastructure consulting firm AECOM on Oct. 2 reported that it will serve as the design partner subcontracted to Capital Line Design-Build Ltd., a member of the Ledcor Group of Companies, to deliver Phase 1 of the City of Edmonton’s Capital Line South Light Rail Transit (LRT) Extension project. The project includes a 2.8-mile (4.5-kilometer) light rail extension from Century Park to north of Ellerslie Road, along the west side of 111 Street; an underpass at 23 Avenue; bridges crossing Blackmud Creek and Anthony Henday Drive; a new operations and maintenance facility south of Anthony Henday Drive; a neighborhood LRT station at Twin Brooks; and a multi-modal LRT station connecting to the Heritage Valley Park & Ride just north of Ellerslie Road (download project booklet, top).
As a design lead on the Capital Line Design-Build Ltd. team, AECOM will be responsible for infrastructure and systems design.
“We are thrilled to continue our close partnership with the City of Edmonton, supporting its commitment to expanding sustainable transportation options that meet increasing demand for urban mobility choices for residents, employers and visitors,” said Richard Barrett, Chief Executive of AECOM’s Canada region, who noted that the company’s “work on Edmonton’s recent Valley Line project positions us uniquely to deliver high-quality infrastructure design for the Capital Line South.”
AECOM’s previous work for the City of Edmonton includes developing a policy framework to integrate light rail transit planning with land use activities, producing Low Floor LRT Design Guidelines, and updating its High Floor LRT Design Guidelines. More recently, the company served as the Owner’s Engineer supporting the Valley Line light rail transit project. This 16.8-mile (27-kilometer) urban light rail line is being developed in two phases—Southeast and West—which run from Mill Woods in the southeast, through downtown Edmonton to Lewis Farms in the west.
Amtrak / MBTA
Amtrak is encouraging people to “reimagine their approach to travel and avoid the stress of flying and driving” with a new brand campaign: “Retrain Travel.” Launched Oct. 1 via national advertising, the campaign showcases the “spacious, comfortable seats, and other unique Amtrak amenities and features that can make travel enjoyable again,” reported Amtrak, which noted that “[a]dditional content focuses on how Amtrak is transforming and enhancing its experience from infrastructure investments to improved service and sustainability benefits.”
Amtrak retained Mekanism as agency of record for the development of its “Retrain Travel” campaign.
The ad campaign’s creative uses a “flipbook” technique that mimics a moving train to highlight what makes Amtrak train travel stand out, including extra legroom, the ability to get up and move around, no middle seats, and a decreased carbon footprint, according to “America’s Railroad.”
“Retrain Travel” will run via digital video, audio streaming platforms, podcasts, and digital display advertising, among other media outlets.
“After serving more than 28 million passengers in FY23, establishing a goal to double ridership by FY40, and welcoming 24.1 million riders in the first nine months of FY24—an 18% increase year-over-year, and on pace for an all-time record—the new ad campaign will support Amtrak’s ambitions and continue its growth,” according to the railroad company.
“Whether it’s to save time, stay productive, or benefit from convenience and flexibility, the best way to travel is on an Amtrak train,” Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch said. “We’re enhancing the customer experience in countless new ways, while in parallel continuing to offer the amenities every traveler deserves, making ‘Retrain Travel’ a commitment to our guests for an unforgettable journey on America’s Railroad.”
Meanwhile, MBTA and operating partner Keolis Commuter Services have introduced a marketing campaign designed to attract more riders. The “Just Take the Train” campaign will remind motor vehicle drivers of the benefits of taking MBTA Commuter Rail: no traffic, less stress, productive time on board, and room for the whole family, according to the companies.
With 12 lines serving 170 cities and towns seven days per week, MBTA Commuter Rail offers all day service with later night trains, parking at stations, $10 unlimited weekend passes, Flex Pass, and kids 11-and-under riding for free.
According to MBTA and Keolis, the campaign’s message will be “brought to life through the experiences of a daily commuter, a family of leisure travelers, and friends just looking to get out of the city and to the beach using social media, broadcast, streaming video and audio, print, direct mail, radio, out-of-home, and digital display.”
“As we continue to deliver safe, reliable and more frequent service, we see a strong return of ridership on Commuter Rail,” said Phil Eng, General Manager of MBTA, whose Commuter Rail ridership has reached more than 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with 500,000-plus people taking the train on average per week. “As we launch the ‘Just Take the Train’ campaign, we are excited to introduce others to the convenience and benefits of mass transportation for everyone that lives near our stations and the adjoining communities. With traffic conditions that exist today, now is the perfect time to leave the car behind and give us a try. Together with Keolis, we’re dedicated to making public transit the choice of travel public transit. Sit back, relax, read a book, and leave the driving to us. Just take the train!”
Separately, Arlington, Mass., is exploring an extension of the MBTA Red Line.
New York MTA
MTA on Oct. 1 joined with BXP, an office developer, owner, and manager, to break ground on a new accessible street entrance to the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Grand Central Madison Concourse at 45th Street and Madison Avenue. It is expected to provide the approximate 72,000 daily riders that use Grand Central Madison another entry point to the LIRR’s 700,000 square-foot terminal, which opened in January 2023. MTA Metro-North Railroad riders will also be able to access Grand Central Terminal via this street entrance through the concourse of Grand Central Madison.
The entrance is part of a public-private partnership in which BXP is redeveloping the site, which housed MTA’s headquarters building from 1979 to 2014. MTA said it retains underlying ownership of the land and BXP has agreed to build the entrance in advance of its anticipated office building in order to prioritize public access and benefit. The redevelopment plan, made possible through the Midtown East Rezoning, is expected to generate more than $1 billion in ground rent revenues, along with real estate taxes, to be dedicated to the MTA capital program, according to the transit agency.
The new entrance is expected to be complete in 18 months. While construction is under way, MTA said BXP is marketing the proposed approximately 950,000 square-foot premier Class A office building to rise above the entrance.
BXP in 2020 was selected to redevelop the MTA’s former headquarters site on Madison Avenue, and demolition began in February 2021 to begin construction of the entrance. Grand Central Madison’s LIRR Concourse (see map above) has five direct entrances to the street: at 42nd Street and 43rd Street through One Vanderbilt, at 47th Street inside 383 Madison Avenue, and two elevator-only entrances in freestanding buildings built by the MTA at 44th Street and 48th Street. Two other direct street entrances are planned north of 47th Street. Additionally, Grand Central Madison connects directly to Metro-North’s east-west underground passageways at 47th Street and 45th Street, which offer entrances at Park Avenue and 48th Street and on 47th Street between Park and Lexington avenues, as well as inside the Helmsley Walk located in Park Avenue between 45th and 46th sStreets.
“Before beginning construction of a massive new office tower, BXP is getting started on a new accessible entrance,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “When the MTA moved downtown, we opened up a site for private-sector development in what is the largest and densest concentration of high value-added jobs in the United States, and now we have the ultimate in transit access, because we have all of the MTA facilities coming right to Grand Central. This redevelopment would not have been possible without the East Midtown Rezoning. Over time, the revenue will support the MTA capital program and some of it will go to the City of New York—that’s the sharing of transit-oriented development and we are hoping this becomes more of the norm.”
Sound Transit
Sound Transit on Oct. 1 hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of heavy construction on the Kent Station Parking and Access Improvements project in Washington state. When complete in 2027, the $62 million garage with 400-plus stalls will serve Sounder S Line commuter rail riders and users of Sound Transit Express and King County Metro services in Kent, which is said to be a key mobility hub for South King County residents (see map above).
As part of the project, a bus layover facility with electric charging stations will be constructed for King County Metro. Previously, Sound Transit added 14 new smart bicycle lockers (reservable by the hour) at Kent Station. The agency also funded an improved pedestrian crossing at 2nd Avenue North and James Street. The City of Kent completed that work in 2021.
Sound Transit’s Sounder S Line train from Kent Station to Seattle’s King Street Station takes about 30 minutes. Weekend service is also offered for select major sporting events and concerts.
In a related development, Sound Transit on Aug. 30 celebrated the opening of its 8.5-mile Lynnwood Link Extension, which adds four new stations north of the current 1 Line terminus at Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood in Washington state.
