Nine transit agencies participate in ‘virtual rally’ seeking COVID-19 relief funds
Officials from nine transit agencies held a “virtual rally” on Wednesday, trying once again to stir Congress to provide COVID-19 relief funding to operations facing significant deficits and contemplating major service cuts. Taking part were New York’s Metropolitan Transportation 
Authority, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, Denver’s Regional Transportation District, the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corp., the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit, the Utah Transit Authority, Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. MTA CEO Patrick J. Foye told the event, “There will be no economic recovery regionally or nationally without significant investment in mass transit. This is not a red or blue issue. It’s a jobs issue,” and BART general manager Robert M. Powers said, “Scaled down transit does not build resilient cities, and will not help with economic recovery. Five years from now, when we look back at this time, will it be the moment we widened the mobility divide? Or will it be the moment we thrived in the face of challenges? The federal government needs to answer the call.” A full transcript is available here.
NJ Transit board approves Portal Bridge deal, hears again that agency will meet PTC deadline
NJ Transit’s board of directors on Wednesday approved the full funding agreement to replace the aging, troublesome Portal Bridge, agreeing to the terms of $766.5 million in federal money for the $1.73 billion project. NorthJersey.com reports the agreement requires the project to be complete by June 30, 2028. The board was also told once again that the agency will complete positive train control implementation by the Dec. 31 deadline. In its most recent quarterly update, the Federal Railroad Administration said NJ Transit’s ability to meet the deadline was still in doubt [see “FRA says NJ Transit is only railroad at risk of missing PTC deadline,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 18, 2020].
CP train in Manitoba involved in two grade-crossing accidents in two hours
This train crew did not have a good work day: a Canadian Pacific freight train in Manitoba was involved in two grade-crossing accidents in two hours. The CBC reports that first, a 53-year-old man escaped serious injuries when his car rolled several times after being hit by the train east of Winkler, Man. Almost exactly two hours later, a 19-year-old woman stopped at a stop sign near a grade crossing west of Winkler, then pulled in front of the approaching train. Her car was pushed into a ditch, but she was uninjured. CP police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating, and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada was notified.
