Transit Briefs: San Diego MTS, MDOT MTA/MARC, REM, Metrolinx

San Diego MTS

The San Diego MTS Board of Directors on Oct. 17 approved a disposition and development agreement with the San Diego Housing Fund to bring a new 100% affordable housing community to East Village, “helping meet the growing demand for affordable homes in San Diego.”

“This project reflects MTS’s commitment to being more than just a transit agency; we’re a community partner,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember, who represents East Village. “By connecting future residents with affordable housing directly at our region’s busiest transit hub, we’re helping residents access opportunity while building a more sustainable future and activating the areas around our stations.”

The six-story, mixed-use, transit-oriented development will feature 161 affordable apartment homes for low-income individuals and families, including 74 one-bedroom, 55 two-bedroom, and 32 three-bedroom units. Residents will also enjoy amenities such as a children’s play area, green outdoor spaces, a community room, and 96 on-site parking spaces. It replaces a surface parking lot and public street that will be removed as part of an MTS transit center expansion project.

Located steps away from MTS’s busiest transit hub, the 12th & Imperial Transit Center, the community offers residents direct access to three major Trolley lines and numerous bus routes, connecting them to recreational, educational, medical, and employment opportunities throughout the region.

Under the agreement, the project will be constructed at no cost to MTS. The ground lease will be for 99 years. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with completion anticipated in 2029.

“We are very pleased MTS’ Board unanimously approved the 12th & Imperial affordable housing project today. Over the past two and a half years, San Diego Housing Fund has worked in close partnership with MTS to bring this vision to life,” said James Howell, Managing Partner, San Diego Housing Fund, which was founded by San Diego Foundation. “This 161-unit community represents what’s possible when we strategically align housing with transportation and break down barriers that keep low-income families from accessing jobs, education, and services. We look forward to seeing this project break ground in 2027 and transform East Village into a more vibrant, equitable neighborhood.”

In addition to the approved housing project, MTS says it plans to expand and modernize the 12th & Imperial Transit Center. The improvements will increase bus capacity, provide a special event platform for Orange Line Trolley service, enhance passenger amenities such as shelters, lighting, and benches, improve traffic flow, and upgrade stormwater and flood control infrastructure. Construction for the transit center improvements is anticipated between 2026 and 2027.

More information is available here.

MDOT MTA/MARC

The MTA announced Oct. 17 that it will provide free MARC and Commuter Bus service to federal workers during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

​The free service will be provided from now through the remainder of the federal government shutdown, and any individual with a federal ID badge can ride for free by showing their badge to the operator.

“Marylanders make up a large share of the federal workforce, so we fully understand the financial strain many of our riders are experiencing,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle. “Free rides on MARC and Commuter Bus ensure that federal workers who are still reporting to the office have one less thing to worry about.”

The federal government is the largest employer in the State of Maryland. Prior to this year’s federal workforce cuts, 269,000 Maryland residents were employed by the federal government, and more than 160,000 federal civilian jobs were located in Maryland, according to the agency. Since the POTUS 47 Administration has taken office, Maryland has lost more than 15,000 federal jobs—the largest number in the nation. Past government shutdowns have had direct repercussions in Maryland, with POTUS 47’s 2019 partial shutdown in 2018-2019 costing thousands of Marylanders $778 million in wages, the agency noted.

“This is what Maryland does in times of crisis: We band together and we help each other out,” said Gov. Moore. “But while Maryland is mobilizing to ease the shutdown’s burden on our people, let’s be clear, no state can fill the gap created by the federal government. The longer this shutdown lasts, the more pain we will feel, so it’s time for [POTUS 47] to come to the negotiating table on health care and open the government.”

REM

The Deux-Montagnes branch of the REM will officially begin service on Nov. 17 based on the tests conducted over the past few weeks, and, “if everything goes according to plan.”

Subject to a successful completion of the last tests, starting Nov. 17, 14 new stations, three connections to the metro, and countless new possibilities will be available to our riders. Details about the launch activities for the Deux-Montagnes branch will be shared in the coming weeks.

According to REM, in the morning, service will begin around 5:30 a.m. for both Brossard and Deux-Montagnes Stations. In the evening, the last departure to Deux-Montagnes from Brossard will be at 8:30 p.m., and from Gare Centrale at 8:45 p.m. After these hours, service will continue from Brossard to Côte-de-Liesse Station, with the final departure at 1:00 a.m. on weekdays. This adjusted evening schedule will allow teams to continue testing for the upcoming launch of the Anse-à-l’Orme branch.

Metrolinx

Metrolinx recently announced that the Ontario Government has reached an Agreement-in-Principle with CN to purchase land to construct dedicated GO tracks on the Kitchener Line, “marking a major milestone in the province’s plan to build faster transit between Kitchener and Toronto.”

The Agreement-in-Principle coincides with additional GO train service that will be added to the Kitchener Line in November, including 18 new weekend trips between Bramalea GO and Union Station, as well as the first-ever weekend service to Kitchener.

The Agreement-in-Principle is the latest step to build faster two-way, all-day rapid service on the Kitchener Line as part of the Kitchener Extension Project. This project will add 40 kilometers (25 miles) of new, two-way track and includes track re-alignments, signal upgrades, bridge work and platform expansion along the corridor.

When complete, the new Kitchener Line will enable:

To Bramalea GO:

• Two-way, all-day service, seven days per week.

To Mount Pleasant GO:

• 30-minute two-way, all-day service, seven days per week.
• Additional trains during peak rush hour travel times to provide enhanced service to Union Station in the morning and to Mount Pleasant GO in the evening.

To Kitchener GO:

• 60-minute two-way, all-day service, seven days per week.
• Additional trains during peak rush hour travel times to provide enhanced service to Union Station in the morning and to Kitchener GO in the evening

In the meantime, starting Nov. 23, 2025, GO Transit train service will be expanded on the Kitchener Line. The service increases include:

• 18 new weekend trips between Bramalea GO and Union Station, which will enable service every 30 minutes.
• Four existing weekend trips will be extended from Mount Pleasant GO to Kitchener GO, enabling weekend service to Kitchener for the first time.
• Two new weekday trips between Bramalea GO and Union Station.
• Two existing weekday trips will be extended to Bramalea GO (previously Malton GO).
• One existing weekday trip will be extended to Kitchener GO (previously Guelph Central GO).

Expanding service along the Kitchener Line is part of Ontario’s $70-billion investment in the largest transit expansion in North America. Ontario is delivering new rail, subway and transit lines across the province from Barrie to Niagara, Kitchener, Oshawa, Toronto, and more.