Catania Metro extension to Monte Po (image Ferrovie Circumetnea)

Catania Metro opened a two-station 1·3 km extension from Nesima west to Monte Po on July 22. A week earlier the 950 mm gauge Circumetnea line was cut back to Paternò; part of the alignment is to be reused for eventual extension of the metro to an interchange at Ardizzone near Paternò.

Amsterdam Sneltram 25 extension (photo GVB)

Amsterdam operator GVB has extended express tram Route 25 south from Westwijk over a 5·4 km line to Uithoorn Centrum on July 21, serving three new stops. This marks completion of the reconstruction of the former Amstelveen Sneltram light metro. 

BART Car delivery (Photo BART)

The last of 755 Alstom cars from the San Francisco Bay Area BART’s initial Fleet of the Future contract was certified for passenger service on July 18, six years after the first entered service. BART is now accepting 20 cars a month from the Transbay Corridor Core Capacity follow-on contract. The orders total 1 129 cars.  

Cebu City Council has requested that the Philippines Department of Transportation undertake a feasibility study for the proposed 68 km underground Metro Cebu Urban Mass Rapid Transit. Phase 1 would be the Central Line serving Danao, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay, Naga, San Fernando and Carcar. Phase 2 would be the Coastal Line servcing Talisay, Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

The European Investment Bank’s Complaints Mechanism has been used to resolve a complaint from fruit vendors displaced by the Pune metro project. EIB provided guidance to ensure the project complies with the bank’s EIB social and environmental standards, and said project promoter Maha Metro and the fruit vendors were satisfied with the ‘mutually accepted solution that addresses the concerns’.

The Metropolitan Council has voted to send the preliminary designs for the Minneapolis Blue Line Extension project to cities on the route for municipal consent.

Manila MRT3 (photo BZ)

Business World reports that Japan International Co-operation Agency’s local representative has said Japanese companies are interested in a contract to operate Manila MRT-3 services, which is expected to be tendered next year, and would have a preference for an availability-based model. Unsolicited proposals have been submitted by Metro Pacific Investments Corp and San Miguel Corp.

San Diego MTS and North County Transit District have introduced tap-and-pay by bank card or mobile payment on rail, light rail and other public transport services. INIT upgraded the ticketing technology and Chase Bank provides payment processing. The agencies said contactless payment would be an attractive option for visitors to events such as Comic-Con, conferences and sports.

Amsterdam Lekstraat tram depot (image Schakel & Schrale)

Amsterdam operator GVB has commissioned Schakel & Schrale to renovate the roof of the national monument Lekstraat tram depot.

Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced on July 25 the appointment of Jeff Cook as permanent Chief Administrative Officer and Alicia Gomes as inaugural Executive Director of Light Rail. Cook previously served as Acting Chief Administrative Officer at MBTA and Gomes has been with MBTA for 17 years at different positions and will oversee the Green Line and Mattapan Line as Executive Director of Light Rail.