Dive Brief:
- The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will begin commuter rail service from Boston to the southeastern Massachusetts communities of Fall River and New Bedford on March 24, pending final approval from the Federal Railroad Administration.
- The $1 billion South Coast Rail project began construction in 2019. Work included refurbishing more than 36 miles of track previously used for freight trains and constructing six new stations. Construction was completed last year.
- The project will restore passenger service to the area for the first time in 65 years.
Dive Insight:
The South Coast Rail project is part of the MBTA’s $9.6 billion, five-year capital investment plan. The portion of the project that will open in March represents Phase 1 of the project. A proposed full buildout would also include a connection to the Northeast Corridor main line via the Stoughton Line, but funding for that work is not yet available.
“South Coast Rail will create opportunities for affordable housing access, connect people to jobs, stimulate regional economies, and encourage a shift from cars to public transportation,” Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt said in a statement.
A total of 32 trips each weekday will run between South Station in Boston and East Taunton, Massachusetts. From there, 15 trains will continue to Fall River and 17 to New Bedford, with trains operating about every 70 minutes on weekdays and every two hours on weekends, according to the MBTA. The last train of the day will leave Boston just before midnight.
Test trains began running in June 2024 to enable train operators to learn the routes. The MBTA designated Keolis Commuter Services to handle train dispatching for the South Coast Rail territory.
The MBTA’s South Coast Rail team conducted public meetings across communities in the Phase 1 project area. “The people of Taunton, Freetown, New Bedford, Middleboro and Fall River have been waiting for passenger rail service for far too long,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. She said the project would reduce traffic congestion and spur economic development in the region.
