Following through on its promise, Massachusetts has started construction projects to extend commuter rail to communities in the southeastern part of the state, including Fall River and New Bedford.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has already started a construction project to replace and improve several bridges needed for a commuter rail.
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The work comes after nearly five years of discussions on the issue and just two years after the successful reopening of The Old Colony Rail Line on the South Shore.
Officials in Fall River and New Bedford predict that the rail will bring with it higher income residents, increased tourism and possibly more businesses to the cities.
MBTA officials believe all of the above could be enjoyed considering the popularity of the commuter rail these days.
”There has been a definite increase in ridership throughout the commuter rail system,” explained Erin Harrington, spokesperson for the MBTA. “People are moving farther and farther away from the city, but still need an easy access to Boston for work.”
Harrington said a completion date on the project, estimated to cost more than $400 million, has not been determined. She said the MBTA is considering two possible routes for the train to Fall River and New Bedford. The rail could either hook up with the line ending in Attleboro or the one in Stoughton.
In either case, Harrington expects Southeastern Massachusetts to benefit.
”When you implement the commuter rail you do see real estate prices increase. You do see people move into the towns who would not have in the past,” Harrington said. “The Old Colony line, for example, has experienced those types of improvements.”
Right now the MBTA has earmarked $8.6 million for replacing four bridges in Fall River and refurbishing another in Freetown. Meanwhile, the design of bridges needed in New Bedford will be complete in July with construction expected to begin in September. That project will cost approximately $10 million.
The region first heard the promise of a rail system early in the decade from former Governor William F. Weld.
”He visited Fall River that day and said ‘I’m going to bring the commuter rail here and you can sue me if it doesn’t happen.’ It was a statement that made all the headlines,” said Stephen Smith, executive director of Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD).
Smith said there are many reasons the two cities and the state think the commuter rail is a good idea, but they differ. He said the MBTA sees the rail as a way to get people into Boston and its schedule may reflect that.
”The MBTA will have for instance four trains going into Boston in the morning and maybe one leaving Boston,” he said. “Fall River and New Bedford however seem more interested in reverse commuting, an opportunity to draw people to the cities for tourism purposes.
”It could be that the expectation of bringing reverse commuters may be a little inflated by the cities,” he added.
Smith said, though, that the secondary benefit of people and business moving into the community is a possibility.
Gary G. Ayrassian, city planner in Attleboro, said while Fall River and New Bedford should be excited about certain advantages of a commuter rail there are misconceptions.
”I’m not convinced that they will get any kind of economic revitalization spin-off from a commuter rail,” he said.
He added that the shopping center that surrounds the train stop in Attleboro had very little to do with the train.
