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On Friday, MTA Metro-North Railroad held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Cortlandt Station project, which calls for expanding the facility, extending a pedestrian overpass and building a new western parking lot.

The pedestrian overpass will include a new elevator, enclosed staircase, 220-square-foot waiting area, and 240-square-foot concession and ground-level vending area. To be completed in November 2011, the $34.7 million project also will include canopy-covered walkways, a new parking pay station, an additional heated shelter and new lighting.

The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration will provide $21.2 million for the project. ECCO III Enterprises will serve as contractor and STV Inc. will construction manage the project.

Meanwhile, Amtrak and the Washington State Department of Transportation plan to mark the completion of a Cascades station in Stanwood/Camano Island on Nov. 21 — the first time in 38 years the area will have access to passenger-rail service. The $5 million station, which was funded by the state of Washington, was completed in mid-November by Interwest Construction. Work began in April.

The Canadian government and TransLink already have completed upgrades to the Commercial–Broadway Skytrain station in Vancouver, British Columbia, which opened on Friday. The $10.7 million project — which was completed more than two months ahead of schedule and under budget — called for adding a new entrance, escalator, elevator and stairs.

The British Columbia government provided $4.3 million for the upgrades, with the remainder covered by Transport Canada, TransLink and the city of Vancouver.