This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
Construction of the 3·3 km southwestern extension of São Paulo metro Line 4 from Vila Sônia to Taboão da Serra started on March 24, at an estimated cost of R$4·045bn. Running entirely underground, the two-station extension is scheduled to be completed in 2031.
The Washington DC Streetcar was closed on March 31. The 3·9 km line along H Street from Union Station to Oklahoma Avenue served eight stops, and was operated by RATP Dev, with free travel. The line had been built as a pilot for a network which was never developed, with buses providing alternative travel options. Performance was impacted by on-street running in mixed traffic, and ridership turned out to be lower than expected, peaking at 1·185 million journeys in 2017.
On March 9, the state government of Minas Gerais reached agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank to provide R$500 000 towards design works for Belo Horizonte metro lines 3 and 4. The 4·23 km north-south Line 3 would serve six stations and connect Savassi on Line 1 to Lagoinha at an estimated cost of R$ 4·8 bn.The 22·6 km Line 4 with 18 stations would link the Contagem area to Betim Terminal in the west of the metropolitan area, using existing 1 000 mm freight railway tracks, at a cost of R$4·5bn.
On March 27 Chicago Transit Authority announced that a court order had lifted the suspension of federal funding for the Red Line Extension and Red & Purple Modernisation projects, so work could continue without interruption. ‘Today’s news means that the Red Line Extension project is truly full steam ahead’, said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. The funding had been suspended in October 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s push against the use of diversity, equity and inclusion policies in contracting.
Seattle’s Sound Transit has awarded Hoffman Construction a $350m progressive design-build contract for its Operations & Maintenance Facility South.Scheduled for completion in 2032, this would support the expanding light rail fleet, Including at least 72 new Series 3 LRVs. ‘Advancing this project through progressive design-build is another example of how Sound Transit is responding to the board’s directive to leverage best practices from our peers and industry to deliver cost-effective projects on schedule’, said Deputy CEO & Chief Capital Delivery Officer Terri Mestas. ‘This delivery method will help us better collaborate with our industry partners to manage risks, control costs and streamline decision-making.’
Dubai metro and tram operator Keolis MHI has appointed Vikas Sardana as Managing Director. He was previously Acting Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, and before joining Keolis MHI was Director of Operations & Board Member at Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corp
New York MTA has launched a mobile app for Subway and bus passengers. Developed in-house ‘at minimal cost to the authority’, it provides real-time train location and arrivals information and estimated time of arrival at destinations, along with live in-app customer support. It is available in English and Spanish. MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber said ‘this is what happens when you invest in and empower in-house talent — best-in-class innovation without the Big Tech price tag’.
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority launched its ‘better Breeze’ account-based open fare payment system on March 28. The introduction undertaken by supplier INIT includes more than 1 800 metro, tram and bus onboard and station readers, 275 next-generation ticket vending machines and over 500 ‘sleek and modern’ faregates equipped with INIT validators. Old and new fare equipment will operate for a five-week transition period, enabling passengers to use up their old Breeze cards and tickets, but the previous ticket vending machines have been turned off and the old cards can longer be topped up.