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Date: 12/19/2022
WESTERN MASS. – Legislators and community leaders assembled at the Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield for the first Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission meeting on Dec. 9. The commission will gather over six meetings to investigate and receive public testimony concerning potential public entities with the ability to design, permit, construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service proposals from the East-West Passenger Rail Study Final Report.
The East-West Rail continues to be a critical subject for local leaders. If fully implemented, the project would create a passenger rail connecting Worcester to Palmer, Springfield, Chester and Pittsfield. The added connections would allow Western Massachusetts passengers to travel across eastern Massachusetts to Boston.
A 2020 Department of Transportation study forecasts that the project would cost between $2.4 billion and $4.6 billion. An East-West Passenger Rail Study was also conceived in 2020 after several public meetings.
Following years of advocation, the East-West Rail project is continuing to gain momentum. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation alongside rail companies CSX Corp. and Amtrak applied for $108 million of federal transportation funds in November. The funding would help the first phase of the east-west rail, which would feature two Amtrak trips between Boston, Worcester and Springfield daily.
Gov. Charlie Baker also showcased his support of a new rail authority to oversee the development and governance of the east-west rail service during an April 26 press conference at Union Station. The proposed entity would operate similarly to the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority.
Baker returned to Union Station in August alongside Congressman Richard Neal and Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Jamey Tesler to tour the route on one of Amtrak’s train cars.
Local advocates for the east-west project over the years include Neal and outgoing state Sen. Eric Lesser. During his numerous terms as a state senator, Lesser highlighted the project as a priority and championed it throughout his unsuccessful 2022 bid for the state’s lieutenant governor position.
Lesser is now serving on the Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission alongside local leaders, such as state Reps. Bud Williams and Todd M. Smola. During the commission’s introductory meeting, members introduced their views on the project and received public comment, including from business entities such as Berkshire Health Systems.
Reflecting on meeting in Pittsfield, Williams stressed the importance of expanding the East-West Rail project west of Springfield to connect with Chester and Pittsfield. These connections could potentially reach into New York if expanded upon, with Williams believing that all of Western Massachusetts should unite in their advocation for the project.
“We are one in unity,” said Williams.
Lesser echoed Williams’ perspective. He said the commission intentionally met for the first time in Pittsfield to send the message that Berkshire County is also an essential partner in East-West Rail.
Lesser also highlighted the project’s mutual benefit to eastern Massachusetts. He said that western and eastern Massachusetts face inverse challenges. Eastern Massachusetts offers ample job opportunities but lacks affordable housing, while Western Massachusetts presents more accessible housing yet less career pathways, according to Lesser.
“People in Boston and eastern Massachusetts need this connection just as much, if not more, than the people in Western Massachusetts,” said Lesser.
A representative for Neal’s office also presented comment from the congressman. They shared that the project received commitment from Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, along with Massachusetts’ incoming leadership team of Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll.
“I have secured the commitment from both the outgoing Baker-Polito administration and the incoming Healey-Driscoll administration to keep this train literally and metaphorically moving forward,” said Neal.
The Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission is co-chaired by state Sen. Brendon Creighton and state Rep. William Strauss. Creighton said the commission will be working over the course of six meetings to present a final report on their findings by March.
Dates and locations for future Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission are currently unscheduled. Readers can learn more about the commission’s work at https://www.mass.gov/event/western-massachusetts-passenger-rail-commission-meeting-2022-12-09t110000-0500-2022-12-09t120000-0500.