Massachusetts is announcing the findings of a key rail study that could lead to billions in federal, state and local investments for rail infrastructure projects, from passenger stations in Boston to vital international freight routes in North Adams.
The 122-page final report for the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study, released by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Rail and Transit Division last month, outlines the benefits, costs and investments necessary to implement passenger rail service along the Northern Tier Corridor.
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“Regional connectivity between west and east is a key priority as we imagine the future of transportation in Massachusetts,” Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbets-Nutt said in a press release. “The Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study will be a valuable planning tool to identify service alternatives that can expand rail access, reduce congestion and connect communities statewide.”
Massachusetts’ legislature directed MassDOT to conduct the study in efforts to increase intermodal connectivity along the state’s vital commuter and trade corridor. The study sought to not only connect cities and towns along the Northern Tier but also advise the state’s long-term transportation and environmental goals for sustainable, equitable and economically vibrant transportation systems.
Dating back to the 1840s, the Northern Tier Corridor aligns with the Fitchburg Railroad, from Boston to Greenfield and North Adams. Today, the railway is generally divided into two segments and varies in freight and passenger rail ownership between regions. Despite this, the corridor’s current 230-track-mile long iteration does not feature full passenger rail service.
The Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study was conceived to explore the potential for rail service along this crucial rail corridor in the face of ever-changing socioeconomic conditions. Specifically, the study seeks to determine how passenger rail can provide a competitive alternative to driving, offering a faster, more convenient and environmentally friendly travel option for people across this vast and diverse region.
At its core, the study sought to achieve three overarching goals:
Support Economic Development: Enhancing connectivity in the Northern Tier could help spur growth in local economies, creating new opportunities for businesses and residents alike.
Promote Transportation Equity: Ensuring equitable access to transportation options for all residents, particularly those in more rural and underserved communities, was a central focus.
Minimize Environmental Impact: Minimizing the environmental impact of the transportation sector by reducing the number of cars on the road and lowering emissions.
Through several phases, the study evaluated six potential rail options at different service levels and investment strategies, taking into account factors such as ridership projections, environmental impacts, cost-effectiveness and the ability to provide reliable and frequent service. These alternative routes include a combination of electrified services, local service options and express connections to Boston.
Among the six options evaluated, Alternative 3 and Alternative 4 stood out as the most promising in terms of ridership and overall impact, which is estimated to spur nearly $3 billion in investments to complete.
Alternative 3, electrified service, is a proposed rail system that would include a one-seat ride using electric locomotives along an electrified track between Fitchburg and North Adams. Serving as part of a broader plan to electrify commuter rail service in eastern Massachusetts, this alternative would feature seven proposed stations in North Adams, Greenfield, Athol, Fitchburg, Ayer, Porter and North Station.
Alternative 4, full local service providing a one-seat ride, would add several new station stops in Shelburne Falls, Athol, Garner and Porter Square to allow for more travel within major job centers and attractions along the corridor.
The study anticipates the pursuit of either of these multi-billion-dollar solutions would lead to a significant reduction in vehicle miles traveled and help reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the state, especially in passenger and freight rail operations.
Other alternatives the study explored included an Albany extension, a Northern Tier Rail Link at Fitchburg and two lower- and higher-cost solutions.
Study’s Findings and Recommendations
While previous connectivity upgrades along the corridor have improved travel conditions, the study necessitates additional investments west of Wachusett to achieve a state of good repair. In this western portion, MassDOT recommends private and public support for future projects that preserve the long-term vitality of freight operations.
The study highlights the renewal of the Hoosac Tunnel in Florida and several clearance raising initiatives that would accommodate domestic double-stack intermodal service.
Additionally, MassDOT is moving forward with the Patriot Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Initiative to identify and evaluate potential clearances in need of adaptations. This study’s findings indicate necessary modifications in 23 structures along the corridor from Ayer to the Vermont state line to accommodate this double-stack service.
The rail study, while primarily focusing on freight and passenger rail possibilities, includes several recommendations for regional transportation authorities to implement multimodal transportation options. As most of the northern corridor is operated by these local agencies, public participation and the study’s working group were heavily considered in the development process.
For bus services, a partnership between MassDOT and regional transportation authorities could result in increased investments for bus rehabilitations and commuter bus network enhancements. Already, the study remarks previous grants from MassDOT’s Regional Transit Innovation Grant (RTIG) Program as a significant step towards increasing intra-corridor mobility and connectivity for residents, freight and travelers.
Local traffic congestion for vehicles and public transportation systems was a major multimodal priority for the study. As travelers tend to stay within respective local regions versus traveling the entirety of the northern corridor, coordination with regional transportation authorities and planning organizations would be required to necessitate changes.
State investments into housing developments near local transportation centers could also alleviate this congestion and provide additional travel options for residents in zero-car households, according to the study.
The study projects that many of the communities along the proposed corridor have or will see population leveling and decline in the future. If the trend were to reverse, communities would need to consider additional zoning, infrastructure, municipal service and topographical support at state, regional and local levels to accommodate population growth.
Potential Funding Strategies for Transportation Projects
Many of the study’s recommendations require substantial funding from federal, state, local and private sources to enact transformative change in Massachusetts’ transportation systems. The study notes several funding pathways for MassDOT, regional transit agencies and planning organizations to explore.
The study identifies two federal grant programs seeking to fund large, complex or traditionally hard to finance transportation projects – the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects (INFRA) program and the National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program (MEGA). The latter awarded nearly $500 million in grants to MTBA for the replacement of North Station Draw One rail bridge in Boston.
Federal support for Massachusetts’ passenger rail initiatives can also be sought through several national competitive rail grant programs, such as the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant program and the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant program.
The study recommends the state pursue State Bond Cap funds, general obligation bonds and support from the Commonwealth Rail Enhancement Program to modernize rail infrastructure along the northern corridor. For these proposed projects, MassDOT could also dip into funding provided by the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund and Commonwealth Transfer Fund, which primarily endow MassDOT’s operating budget.
Local transportation authorities and rail operators and owners could levy the issuance of bonds, local funding initiatives and a funding strategy called value capture to finance transportation projects. Value capture allows these rail owners to harness the spike in land value caused by redevelopment projects and ensures the public benefits directly from real estate growth and transformation.
Public feedback was vital in the creation of the final report. The study’s public comment process involved several working group meetings with stakeholders and residents, including federal, state, regional and local representatives, three public information meetings and a public workshop.
MassDOT’s study was also, in part, guided by several Northern Tier Corridor studies in the past, including passenger rail studies conducted in 2016 and 2021, regional/municipal transportation plans and additional economic and development studies. However, the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study is the only of its kind to encompass local, regional and statewide travel conditions, passenger rail viability and travel pattern changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The final report is available digitally on MassDOT’s Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study webpage, including videos from public events and contact information. The Northern Tier rail study, along with these previous studies on the region, will inform legislative decisions regarding the future of passenger rail service and viability of transformative infrastructure opportunities from North Adams to Greenfield and Boston.
Photo courtesy Brady Rider, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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