Trent Reeves / MTA Construction & Development THE MTA completed the work on the F Line's East River tunnel in March. This was the last of the tunnels damaged by Superstorm Sandy to require repairs. Capital Programs Continue to Drive Rail Projects Forward Transit systems are reassessing immediate priorities for their planned rail projects; what they share is a commitment to deliver on the original goals of these long-term programs. T By Mischa Wanek-Libman, executive editor HE FINANCIAL FALLOUT OF the past year had the potential to decimate transit agencies' capital programs. For agencies with capital intensive rail networks, the threat to budgets wasn't just a halt or pause in expansion plans, but a possible deferral of key maintenance practices, as well. The emergency relief provided by the U.S. government within a trio of bills eased the financial stress on operating 22 | budgets and freed agencies to refocus and revisit proposals of long planned and long sought-after projects. What follows is a sample of what rail systems have planned in 2021 for their capital programs. Sound Transit Sound Transit has one of the largest rail expansion plans in North America in terms of both scope and cost under its Sound Transit 2 and Sound Transit 3 plans. The Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | APRIL/MAY 2021 $6.2 billion MTA award goal for 2021 40 miles Length of rail to be added to Sound Transit's network by 2024 transit agency remains on track to nearly triple its light-rail system by 2024 with 40 additional miles of rail infrastructure and 28 new stations. However, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic combined with surging real estate and construction sector costs have forced a recalibration of how Sound Transit pursues expansion projects not already under construction. The process, called realignment, will evaluate how plans forhttp://www.MassTransitmag.com