USA: The Federal Transit Administration has approved the start of final design for the Central Subway light rail project in San Francisco. The 2·7 km, $1·6bn Muni Metro extension will branch off the existing Third Street line at Fourth Street and run underground to Chinatown.
San Francisco MTA intends to bore the tunnels well beyond the final station in preparation for a future extension to Fisherman's Wharf. Utility relocation is already underway, and contracts are being awarded for the design of the tunnel, stations and systems. Revenue service is now tentatively scheduled for December 2018.
AnsaldoBreda has been awarded a $54m contract to upgrade 143 Muni tram cars at its plant in Pittsburg.
