While Foursquare ITP is probably best known for our work on service and operational planning for bus transit, rail is also a growing part of our work portfolio. Many of our staff first got interested in public transit through a defining experience riding a train, such as taking the subway as a kid or riding on Amtrak for the first time to visit family. These formative experiences engendered a passion for rail that is reflected in our work—we help clients with rail feasibility studies, capital investment strategy, operational planning, conceptual design, and station area planning.
The Foursquare ITP team has worked with the Northeast Corridor Commission (NECC) for over a decade. We have helped NECC quantify the economic impact of the corridor’s rail service, explore the feasibility of integrated ticketing among railroads, research international best practices, and plan for future operations. As part of the Connect 15-Year Strategic Investment Plan, we developed integrated operating plans that explore how future increases in Amtrak and commuter rail service can be accommodated with upgraded infrastructure.
Our team of urban and graphic designers has helped create renderings, graphics, and schematics for public officials and policymakers to understand proposed rail improvements. For example, for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York, we led the visualization work for the Interborough Express (IBX) feasibility study, developing 3D models and schematics of modal alternatives, the right-of-way, and proposed stations. These renderings were key to obtaining political support for moving the project into the next phase, and were shown on monitors flanking Governor Hochul as she announced her approval to move the project forward to environmental review.
by our Design and Visualization team.
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We have also worked with agencies on developing station area plans that incorporate the operational needs for station access and transit-oriented development, such as the Lancaster Station Area Master Plan, where we collaborated with the client and stakeholders to develop the conceptual site plan and renderings for the redeveloped station.
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Looking to the future, we are excited to support rail planning efforts across the country. We are on several on-call contracts with Amtrak and other major commuter railroad systems and will support an upcoming Federal Railroad Administration Corridor Identification Service Development Plan (CID SDP). If you are interested in learning more about our rail work, please reach out to our rail subject matter experts Andy Zalewski (azalewski@foursquareitp.com) and Jarred Toups (jtoups@foursquareitp.com).