DOT nominee Trottenberg says she’ll work to advance Gateway project
The nominee for the No. 2 position at the U.S. Department of Transportation told a confirmation hearing that she would work to make the Northeast Corridor’s Gateway Tunnel project a priority if she is confirmed. Bloomberg reports Deputy Secretary of Transportation nominee Polly Trottenberg, formerly commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, made the comment in response to a question from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), saying, “It is truly a project of national significance, and as you say, one that really would have just a massive rippling impact if we were to see those over-100-year-old tunnels under the Hudson River for some reason need to be shut down.” The long-stalled, $11 billion project would create two new tunnels between New Jersey and New York’s Penn Station, after which the two existing tunnels would be rebuilt.
Metra to cohost Safe Return to Work Summit
Metra will cohost the Safe Return to Work Summit, an event to educate businesses on safeguarding offices and a safe return to public transportation during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The event for executives and Human Resources professionals will be cohosted by the Building Owners and Managers of Chicago, and will be held March 11 at 9 a.m. at Metra’s 49th Street Training Center, and will also be live-streamed. “Even with vaccines rolling out, this event creates an opportunity to examine thoughtful measures that can be taken to safely return employees to the workplace today,” Jim Derwinski, Metra CEO and executive director, said in a press release. “Attendees will leave with information and tools to help them make informed decisions about bringing back their employees to the office.” The event will address psychological, scientific, and business aspects of the pandemic, and will include industry and medical speakers on measures to ensure employee safety. More information and registration is available here.
Study says Maryland monorail is viable, but would do little for traffic
A study says a proposed monorail between Frederick, Md., and a DC Metro station in Montgomery County, Md., is a viable transit alternative but would do little to reduce traffic on the Interstate 270 corridor. The Washington Post reports the study by the Maryland Department of Transportation says the proposed 28-mile monorail could be built for $4.4 billion and make the trip in 42 to 46 minutes, but about 10,000 of its estimated 34,800 to 47,800 daily riders would come from existing transit systems. Developer Robert O. Eisinger, who funded an earlier study on the financial benefits of the monorail [see “Digest: Caltrain to consider schedule changes …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 30, 2020] said the state study shows the monorail “has to be considered” as a traffic solution.
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