Thursday morning rail transit news:
Orlando-area commuter railroad SunRail will suspend operations today in preparation for the arrival of Tropical Storm Eta, which is expected to make landfall today along Florida’s west coast after meadering around the Gulf of Mexico for several days. Watch the SunRail website or social media channels for more information. The same storm shut down Miami’s Tri-Rail for two days earlier this week.
Portland’s TriMet to set aside plans for new light rail line after ballot defeat
Portland-area transit agency TriMet will put plans for its Southwest Corridor Light Rail Project on hold as a result of last week’s loss for a ballot initiative which would have funded the project along with a number of other transportation programs. KATU-TV reports the measure would have provided $2 billion in funding for the line to Tigard, Ore. Without those funds, the agency said in a statement, “We will work to conclude the Final Environmental Impact Statement and temporarily shut down the project while we explore a path forward. We have advanced the project to a point where it could be efficiently restarted at a future date, when resources become available.” Almost 57% of voters cast “no” ballots against the $7 billion Measure 26-218 on Nov. 3 [see “Three ballot measure to fund rail projects pass,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 4, 2020].
Phoenix mulls grants for businesses during light rail construction
Phoenix will consider offering grants to small businesses hurt by light rail construction. KJZZ Radio reports Marcus Coleman, the city’s light rail administrator, is asking the city council to approve a one-year pilot program that would give grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to owned businesses disrupted by construction. To qualify, businesses would have to be locally owned, have 15 or fewer customers, make $500,000 or less in annual revenue, and be on or directly accessed from areas where construction work is occurring. The proposal comes as the city prepares to begin two more extensions to its light rail system.
