Richardson Invests Nearly $5M for Interurban Common Development

communityimpact.com

A common area designed to help enhance existing downtown Richardson development is receiving city funding to move the project along.

A contract worth over $4.9 million was awarded to Tegrity Contractors by council during its Nov. 13 meeting. It will cover improvements to the location of the future Interurban Common.

The overview

Richardson has held a license agreement with Dallas Area Rapid Transit since 2020, City Manager Don Magner said, which will allow it to utilize the property. Future plans shared during the Nov. 6 meeting include the creation of plaza space, landscaping and a food truck area.

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Petition for New Bus Routes Gains over 200 Signatures

ntdaily.com

A petition by local transit advocacy group Abundance Denton for the city of Denton to obtain two new bus routes currently has 249 signatures.

Their plan includes two proposed new routes: Route 3b, which would run from downtown to the end of McKinney Street and complement Denton County Transportation Authority’s current Route 3 and Route 2, which would would run the length of Loop 288, from 380 to the Golden Triangle Mall. The group’s plan proposes the city uses its 2024 Denton County Transit Reinvestment Program funding to “buy” the new bus routes.



“The TRiP policy was approved by the DCTA board in 2020,” said Alison Maguire, a former city council member who was recently reinstated as Denton’s DCTA board member. “And the policy is 15 percent of unallocated fund balance is divided among member cities to be used for transit supportive projects, which have, in the past, been mostly sidewalks.”

Denton was allocated over $5 million in TRiP funding for fiscal year 2023. Kristine Bray, Denton resident and founder of Abundance Denton, said this funding would be better served by expanding bus service.

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FTA Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rules to Strengthen Rail Transit Oversite by State Agencies

masstransitmag.com

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is proposing new rules to strengthen the ability of state agencies to oversee rail transit in the United States. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published would give State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) the right to inspect agencies without warning, require agencies to collect metrics and data that better explain rail transit safety and require SSOAs to create an inspection program to decrease risk.

To implement new requirements under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, FTA is seeking public comment on proposed changes to federal regulations that increase the roles and responsibilities of SSOAs to maintain effective oversight of rail transit systems nationwide. 



"We intend to make transit one of the safest forms of surface transportation, even safer," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "Giving oversight agencies the tools needed to make an impact is a critical step. We encourage the industry to review the proposed safety regulations and provide constructive feedback." 

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