NYMTA
An RFP has been released to solicit consultant bids to start IBX’s preliminary engineering phase, which is expected to take about two years, the New York MTA reported Oct. 29. The $5.5 billion light rail project will connect communities in Brooklyn and Queens to 17 MTA New York City Transit subway lines, 51 current bus routes, and the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) at the East New York Station. It is slated to significantly reduce travel times within and between the two boroughs, and daily weekday ridership is estimated at 115,000.
IBX would be built along the existing, LIRR-owned and New York & Atlantic-operated Bay Ridge Branch and CSX-owned Fremont Secondary, a 14-mile freight line that extends from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Jackson Heights, Queens (see map, right). It would create a new transit option for close to 900,000 residents of the neighborhoods on the route, along with 260,000 people who work in Brooklyn and Queens.
Since New York Gov. Hochul announced the launch of the environmental review phase of the IBX project in 2023, early environmental analyses have started in anticipation of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval to formally begin the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process, according to MTA. This Preliminary Engineering will include advancing design and engineering work to reach a 30% design, setting the stage for the issuing and award of future construction contracts.
“The project has undergone further refinement in the last year to ensure that it will provide the best service for passengers for the best value,” MTA reported. “Within the neighborhood of Middle Village, Queens, the MTA is advancing design of a tunnel solution beneath Metropolitan Avenue rather than on-street operations, making the proposed line less prone to travel delays due to mixed traffic operations. This would result in a shorter end-to-end travel time and a project that is more resilient with a dedicated right-of-way for rail operation, allowing the MTA to offer faster and more frequent service. Conceptual plans include expansion of the existing tunnel or a new tunnel adjacent to it. Within the neighborhood of East New York, Brooklyn, the MTA is advancing design of a station location north of Atlantic Avenue within an MTA-controlled site. Locating an IBX station here will facilitate transfers to the A, C, J, Z, and L trains at the Broadway Junction station complex, as well as the LIRR East New York Station on Atlantic Avenue, creating further opportunities to move efficiently between IBX and the existing transit network and enhancing street activity.”
MTA said it has also reduced the total number of bridges along the project corridor that require reconstruction and identified stations where one center platform can be constructed instead of two platforms.
Preliminary engineering will be principally funded through New York State’s 2025 budget, which designated funding specifically for IBX. An additional $15 million was awarded to MTA through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) program, which will fund a corridor assessment in support of preliminary engineering. USDOT has also provided $1 million to fund innovative finance expert services for the project.
The Preliminary Engineering contract will be awarded under the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan, according to MTA, and an additional $2.75 billion for further project development and the start of construction is included in the MTA Board-approved 2025-2029 Capital Plan.
“More than 5 million people live in Brooklyn and Queens and many of them want to travel between the two boroughs for jobs, education and all that NYC has to offer,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “We need an easier way to move between the two boroughs, and that is exactly what the IBX delivers.”
“This RFP is a major step toward making the IBX a reality,” MTA Construction & Development Jamie Torres-Springer said. “We look forward to continuing the progress we’ve made to date by advancing the IBX project design to build better, faster, and cheaper.”
Metra
Chicagoland’s Metra commuter railroad on Oct. 29 celebrated the reopening of its 147th Street/Sibley Boulevard Station on the Metra Electric Line in Harvey. The $20.8 million rebuild project took IHC Construction Companies LLC more than two years to complete. The state’s Rebuild Illinois program, the FTA, and a Cook County Invest in Cook grant funded the project, the first major upgrade to the facility in more than 30 years.
The station now features a new elevator, covered staircase, “kiss & ride” lane, bicycle parking, improved pedestrian pathways, a new canopy-covered platform, and warming shelters.
“We are excited to officially open the 147th Street Station, which will serve as a welcoming gateway to the city of Harvey and to our system,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said. “Metra’s investment at 147th Street and our ongoing program to improve stations along the Metra Electric Line and across our system make our service more attractive and easier to use.”
“When my administration launched the historic Rebuild Illinois capital plan, our mission was clear: revitalize neglected infrastructure for communities across the state,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “The newly reopened 147th Street Metra Station delivers on that promise with accessible features like a new elevator, a covered platform, and warming shelters. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of IDOT and Metra, the upgraded station will enhance daily commutes for Harvey residents, making travel safer, more efficient, and accessible.”
Metra will also host a special “Metra Harvest Fest” for the Harvey community in the station’s parking lot on Nov. 2, with funding from the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees finances, secures funding, and conducts transit planning for Metra, Chicago Transit Authority, and Pace. The free event, which will run from noon to 3 p.m., will feature music, games, activities, food trucks, and giveaways.
Separately, Metra has proposed a 2025 operating budget of $1.135 billion.
CapMetro
The Austin Monitor on Oct. 30 reported that CapMetro is planning a 0.7-mile double-tracking project along the Red Line in East Austin; the project will also add new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and a second platform at Plaza Saltillo Station, which will be 280 feet long. The work—from east of Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street to Onion Street—will improve train frequency and reliability, it said. CapMetro last year opened a second track between Lakeline and Leander stations.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has provided an $18 million grant to CapMetro for the $32.2 million double-tracking project, according to the newspaper, which noted that CapMetro will cover most of the remaining costs and the City of Austin will contribute at least $900,000 for its portion of the project.
“Detailed designs are set to be developed in 2025 with construction starting in 2026 and lasting about two years,” the Austin Monitor reported.
