Fed Stimulus High Speed Rail Grant: Knowledge Corridor

Governor Deval Patrick calls "exceptional news" today's U.S. Department of Transportation award of $70 million for final design and construction of the “Knowledge Corridor” along the Connecticut River rail line in western Massachusetts.  The competitive grant award is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program.

Connecticut and Vermont received separate grants totaling $90 million to upgrade the New Haven to Springfield and Vermont portion of the line.  The result will be improvements all along the corridor serving the Amtrak Vermonter line. 

“The Knowledge Corridor is a cornerstone of our vision for regional rail and regional economic growth," said Governor Patrick. "This $70 million will support long-awaited improvements, create jobs and restore access to cities in the Pioneer Valley. Thanks to wonderful teamwork with our neighboring states and the advocacy of our congressional delegation, especially Congressman Olver, the Obama Administration recognized the project’s strong potential, and the powerful impact it will have on our economy. I couldn’t be more thrilled or more grateful.”

“This is a historic day for passenger and freight rail in Massachusetts,” says Lieutenant Governor Murray. “Together with the CSX deal and additional ARRA investments in our commuter rail system we are strengthening rail service in every corner of the Commonwealth.”

The Massachusetts portion of the project with a total budget of $75.6 million will rehabilitate the existing Connecticut River rail line.  The project will create an estimated 626 jobs during construction and 155 permanent jobs by the 5th full year of operation.  Once completed, Amtrak Vermonter service will be rerouted to the line providing a more direct route, faster service and restored access to the cities of Northampton and Greenfield.  The Vermonter will make stops at the former Amtrak station at Northampton and the new regional intermodal transit center in Greenfield.  The Patrick-Murray Administration had already invested $12.8 million in ARRA funds to build the Greenfield facility.

In total, $485 million in stimulus funds will be invested to improve rail lines in the Northeast Corridor. In addition to the investments between New Haven, Springfield and St. Albans, Vermont, $35 million was awarded to Maine to restore rail service between Portland and Brunswick as part of the popular Downeaster service which begins in Massachusetts, and $112 million to fund improvements in the Boston to Washington DC corridor.

MassDOT’s Rail & Transit Division will oversee the Connecticut River line project construction, which is expected to take approximately two years and begin during the 2010 construction season.  Learn more about MassDOT's Hi-Speed Intercity Rail projects.

Read the Globe.  The Springfield Republican story is here.

Comments

[R.M. Townsend]

Those of us who live in or lived in Holyoke know the immediate benefit the re-routed line can bring. Yes, other lines should be improved, but we have to start somewhere. Connecting the towns down the CT River Valley will bring value to those communities, arguably who can benefit more than the status quo. This is one important step in the right direction, with other routes (those more expensive or tangential) to follow.

[Robert B. Kusner]

Many of us in Amherst agree with the sentiments of the above comment, with the following
amendment: it is critical to upgrade the *existing* rail line (on which the Vermonter now runs) between Amherst and Palmer in order to link the largest public institution of higher education in New England & largest employer in the region - the University of Massachusetts at Amherst - as well as Amherst and Hampshire College, to points east and south by passenger rail.

Further improvements to this line south from Palmer to Storrs, Willimantic and New London
(where this rail line meets the Northeast Corridor) will not only l link the other major
public education insitution - the University of Connecticut - but will also vastly improve the efficiency and safety of the only major north-south rail freight line, the NECR, leading from the border of our principal trading partner (Canada) to the southernmost deep-water port in New England (New London).

[John F. Burckardt]

Restoration of passenger service to Northampton and Greenfield is a significant step in creating a true Massachusetts regional passenger rail system. With the accompanying grants to Connecticut and Vermont, this will improve the current Vermont-Sprinfield-New Haven corridor.

However, I believe that once these improvements are in place, a study should look into ridership for Knowledge Corridor service routed through to Boston. Namely, this would be Greenfield - Northampton - Holyoke - Springfield - Palmer - Worcester - Boston true trains. When I discuss this folks I know in Northampton, they see a real potential for such service to be used.

In conjunction with this idea and in the spirit of a single statewide transportation agency, my vision is seeing the MBTA "commuter" rail system become a statewide "Massachusetts Regional Passenger Rail" system, connecting together all of our state.
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MassDOT Responds: In addition to the Knowledge Corridor Project, MassDOT submitted an application for engineering and environmental work for rail improvements between Worcester to Springfield. While this application was not initially successful, MassDOT expects to resubmit this in future rounds of the program. These improvements would facilitate rail service between Boston and Springfield that would connect with the Knowledge Corridor.