North America Will Invest More Than $80 Billion in New Transit in 2014

2014 will be a robust year for transit expansion with "737 miles of new lines or line extensions, in addition to 10 new stations or major station renovations" completed or under construction across North America.

"[D]ozens of new lines will open to the public, including light rail lines in Houston, Minneapolis, Edmonton, Dallas, Calgary; heavy rail lines in New York City and outside Washington; and streetcars in Tucson, Atlanta, Seattle, and Washington, among many others," notes Freemark. "Bus rapid transit — or some variety of it — will see its coming out, with new lines opening in Chicago, Fort Collins, San Diego, Orlando, Los Angeles, and outside Toronto."

The $80.7 billion in programmed funding surpasses last year's tally of $64.3 billion. But Freemark cautions that the on-going federal funding freeze means "[t]his frenzy of construction activity may not be everlasting."