Light Rail News, 24 Jul 2004

Charlotte receives light rail grant (News 14 Carolina) - Charlotte's planned light rail system has been awarded $11.5 million in the form of grants for the city's South Corridor Light Rail Transit Project.

Houston Light Rail Smackdown, Part 51

No one injured in SUV collision with Metro train (Houston Chronicle) - No one was injured in a collision between a MetroRail train and a sport utility vehicle near Reliant Park on Thursday.

Monorail News, 23 Jul 2004

Monorail bidder seeks extension (The Seattle Times) - One of two teams competing to build the Green Line urged the Seattle Monorail Project this week to delay the final-proposal deadline by two weeks. An official with Seattle Monorail Project said the request had been received, but the agency has no plans to delay the Aug. 16 deadline, which was postponed for two months in May at the request of both teams.

Preview of New Arizona Light Rail System

Valley Metro has posted animations and still renditions of the light rail line being built to link Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.

Monorail News, 22 Jul 2004

Monorail-killing measure advances (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) - Barring a successful legal challenge, Seattle voters will soon get to vote on an initiative that would effectively kill the West Seattle-to-Crown Hill monorail system they narrowly approved in 2002. Opponents of the line have gathered the 17,229 valid signatures needed to put the $1.6 billion line's fate on the November ballot, and the acting president of the City Council said that's where it's headed.

Light Rail News, 21 Jul 2004

Metro stands by northside light rail (Houston Chronicle) - Metro's president reassured a group of northside community advocates Tuesday that the transit authority is proceeding with plans to break ground on schedule for a light rail extension into their neighborhoods. Frank Wilson, who assumed office two months ago, told about 30 North Corridor Coalition members that the Metropolitan Transit Authority's voter-approved expansion plan remains intact despite comments from several new board members suggesting that preferred alignments need to be re-examined.

Light rail readies for airport landings (Minneapolis StarTribune) - Next stop on the Hiawatha light-rail line: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. By the looks of things, when service gets there in December, the airport will be ready.

Cleaver promises to push for light rail (Kansas City Star) - If elected to Congress, Emanuel Cleaver said Tuesday, he will work to bring light rail to Kansas City. “Light rail is going to be one of the issues that I will spend a considerable amount of time pushing,” he told the editorial board of The Kansas City Star. Cleaver, a former Kansas City mayor, is running for the 5th District seat held by Rep. Karen McCarthy, who is retiring.

New Spokane Light Rail Options (KXLY-TV, Spokane) - The Spokane Transit Authority is coming out with some new, lower cost options for the light rail project in Spokane County.

Fare Inspectors Start Work On Light Rail Line (WBAL-TV, Baltimore) - The MTA has hired 10 inspectors to patrol trains to seek proof that passengers have paid the full fare. Those who ride without paying will now face a penalty.

Monorail News, 20 Jul 2004

Monorail foes pick up more I-83 signatures (The Seattle Times) - The likelihood of another vote on the Seattle Monorail gained steam yesterday when sponsors of Initiative 83, a ballot proposition that could kill the proposed 14-mile elevated train project, turned in an additional 7,309 signatures. That gives sponsors a total of 37,542 signatures, more than double the 17,229 valid signatures needed to win a place on the November ballot.

Light Rail News, 18 Jul 2004

Column: Twin underwater tunnels for light rail make sense (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) - The twin tunnels aren't $400 million tunnels. The entire project is $363 million. Boring the twin tunnels is estimated to cost from $55 million to $60 million, not including the tracks, power, signals and lights. The rest of the money will be used for those things and four stations, elevating the line across the North Shore and buying eight new light-rail vehicles.