May/June 2023 - 25

A
Terminology
NTD Mode
Types
AR: Alaska
Railroad
CC: Cable Car
CR: Commuter Rail
HR: Heavy Rail
IP: Inclined Plane
LR: Light Rail
MG/AG: Monorail/
Automated
Guideway
SR: Streetcar
YR: Hybrid Rail
Guideways
Stations
Adminstrative
Buildings
Passenger Vehicles
Maintenance
Buildings
Other Vehicles
Fare Collection
Equipment
Communication &
Information Systems
Other
NTD 2021 Capital Use
2%
1%
*Values represent percent of total expense for that group
MAY/JUNE 2023 | MassTransitmag.com 25
3%
0%
7%
1%
14%
5%
2%
0%
2%
0%
11%
4%
2,598
Number of
escalators
available within
rail stations
Source: NTD 2021
Transit Stations
2,614
Number of
elevators
available within
rail stations
Source: NTD 2021
Transit Stations
23%
9%
By the numbers
ccording to ridership data collected by the American Public Transportation
Association (APTA), heavy rail, light rail and commuter
rail accounted for 46 percent of all transit trips in 2022. While the
percentage is in line with where it has been historically, the success
story is the increase in ridership rail modes have experienced over
the calendar year. The 2022 year-to-date change for heavy rail
shows a 36.55 percent increase, light rail shows a 37.85 percent
increase and commuter rail shows a 51.82 percent increase. Systems
including San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, El
Paso's Sun Metro streetcar, Sound Transit's Link light rail, Sonoma
Marin Area Rail Transit, Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority, Maryland Transit Administration, New Mexico Rail
Runner Express and Virginia Railway Express all experienced
year-to-date changes in 2022 that were more than 100 percent.
Passenger rail and transit service providers continue to progress
key projects, with the goal of delivering better service to
riders. Concerning the Northeast Corridor, several projects have
achieved significant milestones. One example is the Gateway
Development Commission, which finalized agreements between
funding partners on the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing
- Section 3 project that will allow the project to move into
construction. The Hudson Yards Concrete Casing - Section 3
is a critical component of the Hudson Tunnel Project. Amtrak
began early construction work on the B&P Tunnel Replacement
Program, which includes replacing aging wood crossties with
new concrete crossties, installing new rail and completing track
drainage improvements. Construction on the Norwalk River
Railroad (Walk) Bridge Replacement Project started in May
2023. The existing four-track swing Walk Bridge, which hosts
175 passenger and freight trains per day, will be replaced with
a structure that has two independent, moveable spans that will
improve the reliability of the bridge.
However, not all passenger rail projects experienced progress.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPCapital
Expenses: Existing vs. Expanded Services
% for expanded
% for existing
35%
78%
TA) made the decision earlier this year to
stop work on its planned King of Prussia
(KOP) Rail project to dedicate its financial
resources toward critical infrastructure
work rather than advance the expansion
project. SEPTA leaders expressed disappointment
but explained the authority's
capital budget has a lack of flexibility that
would not allow further pursuit of the
KOP Rail project. Metrolinx also saw
further delay to the Eglinton Crosstown
LRT project, which was supposed to be
in operation in late 2022 but was not,
with Metrolinx placing the blame at the
feet of its contractor, Crosslinx Transit
Solutions. Metrolinx has vowed to work
the Crosslinx Transit Solutions to get the
quality issues with the project corrected
and the project tested and operational.
One agency working to reduce risk associated
with delays and cancellations
of large project is the Metropolitan
Council, which created a new regional
transit infrastructure division in April
that will provide what the entity calls
" a more consistent and robust approach
to complicated and critical infrastructure
projects. " The new regional transit
infrastructure division will manage the
development and construction of regional
transit projects that are significant in
size and complexity and have substantial
financial impact, including light rail and
bus rapid transit projects.
http://www.MassTransitmag.com
May/June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2023
