Summer rail maintenance: Updates from Denver RTD, NFTA and SEPTA
As ridership experiences its expected seasonal drop, a trio of transit agencies are utilizing the summer decrease in customers to advance rail maintenance projects that will be key to continued efficiency, reliability and safety of their rail systems.
Denver RTD
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver suspended its L Line light-rail service starting July 10 through July 30. The 20-day shutdown will allow the agency to replace one of the oldest segments of track on its system and make improvements to the crossings at Downing and 30th Streets.
RTD is working with a contractor that will replace all track, paving, rail, crossties, switches and ballast from the intersection of 30th and Welton Streets through the southern end of 30th/Welton Station.
The agency encourages riders to explore Bus Route 43 as an alternative for light-rail service during the shutdown. Service is scheduled to return on July 31.
NFTA
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) began a rail renewal project on July 13 near the 400 block of Main Street and Church Street in Buffalo, N.Y.
The project is supported by state funds and will include the replacement of rail, track bed and catenary wiring between Church and Mohawk Street. A double crossover will be installed to improve safety and overall efficiency of the rail system.
“This is something we’ve had in the plans for years, and we’re excited to have reached this next stage,” said James Morrell, NFTA director of public transit. “Our Delevan Station is a beautiful example of what’s to come, and while there’s still a long road of work ahead, we’ve made an enormous amount of progress.”
The project is expected to be completed in December. Future work will include major updates to track beds near Humboldt Hospital Station and renovations to Church Street Station.
SEPTA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) will start construction on the final phase of its Southwest Connection Improvement Program (SCIP) on July 22. The work includes rebuilding a critical portion of SEPTA’s Regional Rail infrastructure in the University City area.
The program launched in 2018 and was designed to support SEPTA’s efforts to improve regional rail service and preserve it for future generations. The work was broken into phases to be performed during summer months to minimize disruptions to passengers.
SCIP will rebuild the mainline infrastructure on the Media/Wawa Line between 30th Street Station and the Arsenal Interlocking, just below Penn Medicine Station. This track area also supports Wilmington/Newark and Airport Line services, which SEPTA notes makes it a critical rail connection for Southwest Philadelphia, Center City, Delaware County and the economic vitality of the region.
SEPTA explains SCIP will require major service adjustments that will impact customers who use the Airport, Media/Wawa and Wilmington/Newark Lines. The work is expected to be completed by Aug. 26.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
