South Coast Rail OK'd for 'full speed ahead'
BOSTON – A project to renovate and expand commuter rail lines to the SouthCoast has cleared important checkpoints by receiving a crucial federal permit and full state funding, officials announced Monday.
Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, speaking at a MassDOT board meeting, said the long-discussed South Coast Rail program will now proceed "full speed ahead." State employees have already begun relevant infrastructure work and acquiring land that will go toward construction of new stations.
The project's first phase will extend the Middleboro line to New Bedford and Fall River, bringing six new stations and two new layover facilities into the rail network. Officials also plan to reconstruct almost 30 miles of tracks along the New Bedford main line and the Fall River secondary line and to upgrade the existing Middleboro secondary track.
“Today’s capital funding announcement by the Baker-Polito Administration is further proof that rail restoration is coming to New Bedford and Fall River,” said State Rep. William Straus in a statement. “I compliment the governor for staying true to our region and dedicating the resources needed to bring this critical transit option to the SouthCoast.”
Pollack said Monday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a final federal permit needed for the project to move forward and that the state's capital investment plan covers the $1.05 billion price for the first phase of construction through bonding.
"Phase 1 of South Coast Rail will be funded 100% by the Commonwealth and the MBTA will not be required to provide any capital funding or issue any revenue bonds that might otherwise impact the MBTA’s future operating budget," Pollack said in a statement posted at the start of Monday's meeting. "We are now well on our way to offering passenger rail service to the South Coast in a few short years with the financing secure, major permits in hand and infrastructure being built."
While a previous estimate projected that Phase 1 would allow for passenger rail service between Boston and Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River to begin in late 2022, based on the consensus of the three independent reviews, the date for start of service is now projected to be in late 2023.
“The final permitting and financing plan for South Coast Rail is a welcomed development in this long-overdue project,” said State Sen. Mark Montigny in a statement. “We still have a long way to go to ensure proper ride times and schedules for New Bedford residents who have been more than patient in this decades-long wait. With this in mind, it is unacceptable to push the completion date back to 2023. MassDOT and the MBTA must stick to its 2022 completion schedule. Anything less signals that we should simply defer to the original Stoughton route with electric rail as Phase 1 was promoted as an interim, near-term solution only.”
During Monday’s public meeting of the MassDOT board of directors and the MBTA’s fiscal and management control, the South Coast Rail is expected to become an MBTA project, however, the MassDOT highway division and rail group will continue to manage early action projects.
Several permitting milestones that have been achieved this year include this month’s final USACE approval and the issuance of the Chapter 91 License, MassDEP 401 Permit and the Mass Coastal Zone Management Consistency Review.
“Providing rail service between the SouthCoast and Boston will increase access to economic opportunities in both regions,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “After decades of promised service, today’s announcement moves the project further than it’s ever been before, and our administration is proud to continue advancing South Coast Rail.”
What's included:
— Extending the existing Middleboro line service using diesel-powered trains to New Bedford and Fall River.
— Reconstructing 17.3 miles of the New Bedford main line and 11.7 miles of the Fall River secondary.
— Upgrading the existing Middleboro secondary track from Pilgrim Junction to Cotley Junction, (a distance of 7.1 miles).
— Constructing two new layover facilities.
— Constructing six new stations.