The year 2026 is shaping up as a milestone for fixed-guideway transit in North America. According to a comprehensive roundup published by The Transport Politic, more than 149 miles of new metro, light rail, streetcar, regional rail, bus rapid transit, and aerial tramway lines are scheduled to begin service across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The analysis draws on data from Transit Explorer, an interactive platform that now catalogues more than 13,700 lines and 62,300 stations worldwide. The Transport Politic notes that all projects mentioned are mapped on that platform.

Major Metro and Monorail Openings

Los Angeles will see the first phase of its D Line (formerly Purple Line) subway extension open in winter 2026. The 3.9-mile segment from Wilshire/Western to La Cienega adds three stations and cost $3.5 billion. Future phases will bring the line another 5.2 miles west by 2027.

Monterrey, Mexico, expects to open portions of its Metrorrey Linea 4 and Linea 6, two monorail lines adding 9.8 miles to the network. In Montréal, the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) will expand with the 9.3-mile Anse-à-l’Orme branch, serving four new stations along an elevated alignment west of the island.

Light Rail and Streetcar Expansions

Ottawa, St. Louis, Seattle, and Toronto are all advancing light rail projects totaling 32 miles. Kansas City’s streetcar will extend north 0.7 miles to the Missouri River waterfront, adding one station and serving a new development area and CPKC Stadium. Orange County, California, will add 5 miles of streetcar line.

Regional and Commuter Rail

In the Chicago suburbs, the South Shore Line’s Monon Corridor extension will add 8 miles from Hammond to Munster and Dyer, Indiana, at a cost of $945 million. Mexico City will see two regional rail openings: the 5.6-mile Observatorio section of El Insurgente (Mexico-Toluca Interurban Train), linking to Metro Line 1, and the 13.7-mile Lechería-to-AIFA line serving the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport, expected to carry 82,000 daily riders.

Bus Rapid Transit and Arterial Rapid Transit

Bus rapid transit accounts for the largest share of new mileage: 62 miles across six cities. Atlanta’s MARTA Rapid A-Line (3.1 miles, $123 million) will run mostly in dedicated lanes and is expected to open in September, possibly in time for the World Cup. Baton Rouge’s BRapid Plank-Nicholson line (9.3 miles) will feature transit signal priority. Houston’s 54 Scott BOOST route (11 miles) includes sidewalk and shelter upgrades. Las Vegas’s Maryland Parkway BRT (12.5 miles, $378 million) will connect the medical district and UNLV to Reid Airport. Salt Lake City and San Bernardino also have BRT lines opening.

Aerial Tramway and Airport People Mover

Mexico City’s Mexicable Linea 3, a 5.9-mile aerial tramway with two branches, will serve 40,000 daily riders from the Cuatro Caminos Metro station. At Los Angeles International Airport, a $2.7 billion, 2.25-mile automated people mover will link the LAX/Metro Transit Center to airport terminals, opening in June 2026.

According to The Transport Politic, the 2026 slate represents a significant acceleration in North American transit investment, with projects that had been delayed from previous years now reaching completion. A full global overview of 2026 transit openings is available on Transit Explorer.