List of US+Canada rail transit currently under construction

[seaskyfan]

Groundbreaking for the next Sound Transit light rail expansion will be next Friday, August 17th. This is for a 4.3 mile extension of the Link main line from the University of Washington to the Northgate neighborhood.

http://www.soundtransit.org/About-So...ing-invite.xml

[Ragnar]

I think the Miami Airport Orange Line extension opened, so it can probably be taken off the "under construction" list.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Pre construction utility replacement starts tomorrow on the Regional connector subway in Downtown LA.

some sort of work is now being done on the following lines in LA

1) Gold Line LRT Foothill Extension 2 - Heavy Construction
2) Expo Line LRT Phase 2 - Heavy Construction
3) Crenshaw Line LRT - Pre Construction Utility Work
4) Downtown Regional Connector - LRT Subway - Pre Construction Utility Work
5) Purple line Subway - Utility work starts next month

[202_Cyclist]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Pre construction utility replacement starts tomorrow on the Regional connector subway in Downtown LA.

some sort of work is now being done on the following lines in LA

1) Gold Line LRT Foothill Extension 2 - Heavy Construction
2) Expo Line LRT Phase 2 - Heavy Construction
3) Crenshaw Line LRT - Pre Construction Utility Work
4) Downtown Regional Connector - LRT Subway - Pre Construction Utility Work
5) Purple line Subway - Utility work starts next month

But we're to believe that high speed rail won't work in California because there is no transit once you get to Los Angeles. Ha!

[fflint]

I don't think this fits the intent of the thread, but Caltrain (commuter rail) is currently constructing one mile of aerial track in San Bruno.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

But we're to believe that high speed rail won't work in California because there is no transit once you get to Los Angeles. Ha!

its practically impossible and the 380,000 rail boardings a day dont count

[seaskyfan]

Sound Transit's Sounder Commuter Rail is opening two new stations tomorrow in South Tacoma and Lakewood.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localne...ounder07m.html

[easy as pie]

honolulu's near lock for mayor in november has killing the rapid transit project as his #1 priority, so we can expect that one to disappear from this list pretty much as of his election (he's ahead by 30 points in the polls). a real bummer, considering how great the project is, how far along it is, how well funded it is, how tough it was to keep it all together for so long, how horrible hawaiian traffic is, how smoggy it gets there, how unbikeable the place is, and how well it could shape development on oahu over the next 100 years. way to go, guys!

in better news, i was talking with some folks at a recent spur party here in sf and there should be an announcement fairly shortly on the extension of our f streetcar line into by another .5 mile or so along the water and through an existing tunnel (to fort mason).

[Austinlee]

EDIT: Ok i'm specifically not supposed to show this detailed look at Pittsburgh new $529 million under river subway extension because it is already completed. So I won't post it here. But click here to view the correct Transportation light rail thread to see this very cool project - http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...167125&page=11

[SnyderBock]

Keiwit will start construction on the final 9.5 miles of the I-225 LRT line, very soon. Construction is scheduled to be fully complete by mid-2015 (only 2.5 years away) and then followed by 6 months of testing before it goes operational in early 2016.

That brings this total:
Denver West & 225 lines - 14 miles
Up to 22.6 miles for LRT under construction in Denver

[202_Cyclist]

I suppose this is as good of a place as any to post it but the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report yesterday looking at New Starts and Small Starts transit funding from 2004 to 2012.

Funding for New Starts and Small Starts Projects, October 2004 through June 2012

"Local funding exceeded total federal funding contributions for the 25 New Starts projects, accounting for $16.3 billion, or almost half, of $33.8 billion of total project funding (see figure below) from October 2004 through June 2012. This outcome reflects the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) policy to encourage project sponsors to seek less than 60 percent of the project's costs from New Start funds--less than the allowable 80-percent New Starts-share maximum. Local agencies used a wide variety of sources, but most commonly used sales taxes for their contributions to the projects; sales taxes were used for 13 of the 25 projects. Federal funds from all sources for New Starts projects totaled about $15.2 billion. The New Starts program alone provided about $14 billion, or 92 percent of the federal funds during this period. Federal-aid highway funding that was "flexed," or transferred, to transit was the second largest source of federal funds, providing about $720 million. Finally, states provided about $2.3 billion, or about 7 percent of total funding, to 13 of the 25 projects. States obtained most of this funding from bonds or other debt mechanisms.

Conversely, total federal funding was the largest source of funding for the 32 Small and Very Small Starts projects, constituting about $1.4 billion, or two-thirds of $2.1 billion in project funding. Most federal funds, about $1.1 billion of the $1.4 billion, came from the Small Starts and Very Small Starts programs. Flexed federal highway funds again were the second largest federal funding source and provided about $195 million. Local agencies provided about $513 million or about 24 percent of total project funding. Local sales taxes, the primary source of local funding, were used on about half of the projects and provided 55 percent of local funding. States again provided the smallest share, about $188 million or almost 9 percent of total funding, and 17 of the 32 projects received state funding. States obtained most of the funding from bonds and other forms of debt..."

http://gao.gov/assets/660/650030.pdf

[electricron]

Originally Posted by easy as pie

honolulu's near lock for mayor in november has killing the rapid transit project as his #1 priority, so we can expect that one to disappear from this list pretty much as of his election (he's ahead by 30 points in the polls). a real bummer, considering how great the project is, how far along it is, how well funded it is, how tough it was to keep it all together for so long, how horrible hawaiian traffic is, how smoggy it gets there, how unbikeable the place is, and how well it could shape development on oahu over the next 100 years. way to go, guys!

That near lock for mayor - LOST !
Honolulu Rail will become a reality.

[SnyderBock]

I wonder what percentage of New Starts funding came from private financing? They left that part out. Pre-2004, it was likely zero percent or near zero percent. So it'd definitely be interesting to know just how much that grew since 2004.

[Cirrus]

I updated the main list on the first page, to include:

• LA's Crenshaw line
• Boston's Wachusett extension
• Seattle's Northgate light rail

When Denver's 225 line actually starts, I'll add it.

And I removed the 2 mile Miami Airport link, which is complete

[fflint]

Portland's East Side streetcar line opened in September.

Video Link

[Cirrus]

Removed.

[Cirrus]

Dallas' Blue line extension opened so I moved it off the list.

[ltsmotorsport]

A quick blurb about Regional Transit's Blue Line extension recently. They just received federal funding for the full phase 2 extension and work will begin in April, with an opening towards the end of 2015. This news in in addition to the work already started on the grade separations.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/30/502...t-closing.html


And the initial Green Line segment opened a while back as well. The next phase will take it over the American River in the Natomas neighborhood and eventually to the airport, but that will be quite a few years out.

[Cirrus]

Apparently DART also opened 4 miles of its Orange line extension yesterday. I've left the Orange line extension on the list because they are still working on the 2nd phase (to DFW Airport), but reduced the mileage.

[IMBY]

I just read through all these posts and I'm ready for a good cry!

Las Vegas, of all cities, can't even get a streetcar or light rail down its famed Las Vegas Strip to the downtown Fremont Street district, let alone steer it to the nearby Airport.

I've been puzzled about this in all the 16 years I've lived here! Can't exactly put my finger on the reasons why.

Some say, the casino operators would be against it, as they want their patrons to spend all their time and $ in their mega resorts. Build a rail system and it would be too easy for them to go elsewhere, to their competitors.

Our powerful taxi unions in this city are not to be taken lightly, as light rail could very well bring an end to many of their jobs. When the monorail (that kiddy train!) was built, and there were wheels mysteriously falling off it, I knew a retired taxi driver who told me: That's no mystery! The taxi drivers are sabotaging the system!

And if there's truth to that, imagine how they'd sabotage our light rail system!!! A mysterious, unsolvable bombing?

I do pray that most cities in this country get light rail, get accustomed to it, fly into a city and there's a rail car waiting for you at the Airport, to speed you away to your destination.

And then? Within time, with all the 3-4 million visitors that come to Las Vegas, they will start asking questions, embarrassing us:

"What's this anyway!!! No rail line from the Airport to the Strip? And this is suppose to be such a modern, futuristic city!!! You mean I'm stuck taking taxi's everywhere!!!"