Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation

Governor Tours Brightman Street Bridge

Governor Deval Patrick today joined local leaders in Fall River to highlight over $240 million investment in road and bridges projects currently under construction and announce an additional $850,000 to support a phase II planning study to examine issues surrounding the possible removal of the elevated portions of Route 79 to open waterfront property for potential redevelopment and possibly tie into the South Coast Rail project as a potential station location. The road and bridge projects complement the Governor's commitment to moving the South Coast Rail project forward as a key economic development opportunity for the Fall River region.

During today's visit, the Governor toured the $186 million Brightman Street Bridge replacement project, one of the largest projects in the Commonwealth. He also received an update on other important projects in Fall River, including the multi-phased maintenance and repair projects planned for the Braga Bridge. A $14 million painting project on the Braga Bridge currently underway is funded by the Governor's Accelerated Bridge Program to reduce the inherited backlog of structurally-deficient bridges.

The Fall River projects are among the more than 385 road and bridge projects ongoing across the Commonwealth this summer. The Patrick-Murray Administration's investment in roads and bridges totals more than $1 billion and will sustain more than 10,000 jobs. The road and bridge projects are a part of the more than $4 billion infrastructure investments being made as part of the Administration's Massachusetts Works initiative putting nearly 20,000 people to work across the Commonwealth this construction season.

The Brightman Street Bridge project is a four-phased effort to relocate Route 6 over the Taunton River connecting Fall River and Somerset. The new double drawbridge stretches 1,700 feet from the east abutment in Fall River to the west abutment in Somerset and stands a quarter-mile north of the existing bridge. Built in 1906, the current bridge handles 45,000 vehicles per day.

Massachusetts doubled its investment in road and bridge construction in just three years, to more than $1 billion. As a result of these investments, particularly the Accelerated Bridge Program, the number of structurally deficient bridges in the Commonwealth has dropped nearly 10% in two years. At the same time, MassDOT reduced the time from construction contract advertisement to construction start by more than 43 percent - a drop from 218 days in 2008 to 124 days in 2009. For ARRA projects, the timeline from construction contract advertisement to notice to proceed was reduced to 48 days, allowing MassDOT to put people to work on construction projects faster than ever before.

South Coast Rail: Station Area Workshops

 

MassDOT is continuing its civic engagement on the South Coast Rail Project with a series of station area workshops.  These events will focus on new stations and area improvements in New Bedford, Stoughton and Freetown. The stations will anchor redevelopment in the surrounding neighborhoods.  MassDOT, the communities and regional planning agencies will outline concepts for the stations and welcome discussion and public input.

Scheduled events include:

New Bedford Whale’s Tooth and King’s Highway Stations
Tuesday, June 8, 5:30 to 7:30 pm
New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park
Corson Maritime Learning Center, 2nd floor
33 William Street, New Bedford 

Stoughton Downtown Visioning Workshop
Thursday, June 10, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Stoughton Town Hall
10 Pearl Street, Stoughton

Freetown Station Area Workshop
Tuesday, July 13, 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Independence Harbor
10 Narrows Road, Assonet

Event flyers and other information are on the project website.  

South Coast Rail will restore passenger rail service from South Station in Boston to the South Coast cities of Fall River and New Bedford.  It will address long-standing transportation inequity, encourage economic development, foster job creation and connect people with affordable housing options, while protecting the natural environment.  The project is guided by Sustainable Development principles and includes a regional smart growth corridor plan.

Study: South Coast Rail Improves Environment

Posted by Kristina Egan, South Coast Rail Project Manager

As part of the environmental work on the South Coast Rail project, MassDOT has completed more than 5,000 pages of technical information on a dozen aspects of the project.  The project’s newest report addresses secondary and cumulative growth and is probably the most comprehensive effort of its kind in New England.  The report concludes that combining new transit with smart growth – clustering jobs, homes and transit where people already are – offers the South Coast a greener future than one with no transit or transit with no smart growth.

The study predicts that environmental impacts the South Coast will experience from expected growth will be reduced between 21% and 30% if the region pursues a smart growth future. Ten thousand fewer acres will be developed – that’s about 10,000 football fields - by implementing the smart growth measures called for by the project’s Corridor Plan.  This new study confirms that a thoughtful marriage between transportation, economic development and environmental planning can enhance the region’s quality of life.   The full report is posted on www.mass.gov/southcoastrail.

New jobs, homes and development are projected for the South Coast region by 2030.  Regional Planners welcome the growth but know it can also bring some unwanted changes to the historic farms and villages, fields, forests and cities.  A smart growth future on the South Coast including rail will: 

Take the equivalent of a car driving around the world 20 times off the roads every day
Preserve farmland equal to 20 Dike Creek Farms in Dartmouth
Stop the clearing of forest land the size of the Freetown-Fall River State Forest
Limit impacts to biodiversity in an area the size of Lakeville, Freetown, Dighton, and Berkley combined
Reduce the amount of water consumed by each household by 21 gallons per day

While no one can predict exactly how or where development will unfold over the next 20 years on the South Coast, this study demonstrates that incorporating smart growth can help develop more livable and vibrant neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the region, while protecting the South Coast’s natural resources.

South Coast Rail: Fall River Station Workshop

MassDOT with the City of Fall River and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District will host a Fall River Depot Station Area Workshop to present a station concept plan.  The Workshop is scheduled for:

Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 5:00-7:00 PM

Water Street Cafe, 36 Water Street, Fall River

The South Coast Rail project proposes a new train station and intermodal center at Route 79 and Davol Street.  The new station will anchor redevelopment in the surrounding neighborhood.  The event sponsors invite residents, business owners and officials to discuss concepts for the future revitalization of the neighborhood.  Presentation of the concept plan will occur at 5:30, followed by discussion and public input.

Check out the South Coast Rail website for more information on the project and the Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan. For more details on the event, contact South Coast Rail Project Director Kristina Egan, 617-973-7314.

New Bedford Artists Support Commuter Rail

Making the wish of a train come true on Williams Street in New Bedford on New Year's Eve is the creative idea behind a "walking train" float that will celebrate the beginning of 2010.  The float complete with hats and noisemakers will be the work of ArtWorks!, Gallery X and the New Bedford Art Museum along with interested citizens and support from the City of New Bedford. 

In addition, "Hopes and Wishes" is the theme of an exhibit at ArtWorks!  The community gallery invited the MassDOT team to share an exhibit for the holiday season. The South Coast Rail exhibit showcases the proposed design for the Whale’s Tooth Station and the transit-oriented design ideas for the King’s Highway Station. The exhibit includes a corner for kids and encourages them to design their own South Coast Rail trains.

The ArtWorks! exhibit runs through January 3, 2010. Learn more about the South Coast Rail project to bring commuter rail service to the South Coast.

Honors for South Coast Rail Planning

Posted by

Kristina Egan, South Coast Rail Project Manager

Governor Patrick's commitment to the South Coast Rail project and the hard work of so many people in planning for this effort are now being recognized.  I am pleased to tell our transportation blog readers that the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association has announced that the 2009 President’s Award for Outstanding Planning goes to South Coast Rail’s Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan.

APA-MA’s awards recognize innovation, quality, transferability and comprehensiveness and this year, stressed implementation as an important factor. This ground breaking plan was developed with unprecedented public input and through the contributions of many individuals and organizations including Goody Clancy, as the lead consultant, and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District.

We are making progress each day toward keeping the promise of making South Coast Rail a reality.  I look forward to continuing the dialogue on this exciting project in the months ahead and appreciate your feedback.  And please check out the latest information about South Coast Rail and view the Corridor Plan released by the Governor in August on our website.

Lt. Governor: Historic CSX Rail Agreement

Incoming MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jeff Mullan joined Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray and CSX leaders at this week's Greater Boston Chamber government affairs forum. 

The Lieutenant Governor at that forum announced completion of an historic rail agreement with CSX.  Read his comments below.

by Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray

The Governor and I have made it a priority to reform the way state government works.  There is no better example of that than the transportation reform package we were able to pass with our partners in the Legislature.  The reform effort is on track and implementation will begin November 1 with the new MassDOT.

Today I am pleased to make an historic announcement that moves transportation reform and improved customer service to the next level.  After more than two years of tough negotiations, we have finalized a far reaching rail agreement with CSX, the national freight carrier serving Massachusetts.
 
This agreement will dramatically enhance our passenger and freight rail system in Massachusetts and finally open up a major tract of land in Allston for redevelopment.

South Coast Rail: Civic Engagement Continues

 

The South Coast Rail Project will host the second of two civic engagement meetings in Fall River on Thursday, September 17.  An Executive Office of Transportation project team presentation will be followed by discussion.  Meeting date and location:

September 17, Fall River Heritage State Park, Visitor Center, Davol Street, Fall River Open House - 6:00 to 7:00 pm; Presentation and Q&A - 7:00 to 8:00 pm. 

More than 30 people from several communities including Attleboro, Norton, Stoughton and Raynham attended the first public meeting in Raynham September 14, viewing information about the proposed route alternatives and asking questions about topics including grade crossing safety and noise. 

Learn more about the South Coast Rail project. 

South Coast Rail Public Meetings

The South Coast Rail Project will host two civic engagement meetings in Raynham and Fall River on September 14 and 17.  An Open House will allow participants to talk with the Executive Office of Transportation project team about the recently released Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan as well as new ridership, cost and environmental data.  A presentation will follow with opportunity for discussion.  Meeting dates and locations:

September 14, Raynham Senior Center, 2215 King Philip Street, Raynham Open House - 5:30 to 6:30 pm; Presentation and Q&A - 6:30 to 7:30 pm

September 17, Fall River Heritage State Park, Visitor Center, Davol Street, Fall River Open House - 6:00 to 7:00 pm; Presentation and Q&A - 7:00 to 8:00 pm

View the South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan and project background information here.

South Coast Rail Corridor Plan Released

 

Governor Deval Patrick in New Bedford today released the South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan that estimates the South Coast Rail project will stimulate nearly $500 million in new economic activity and raise household income by more than $150 million, while creating thousands of new jobs. 

Congressman Barney Frank and Congressman James McGovern joined Governor Patrick and Lt. Governor Tim Murray for the release, along with Transportation Secretary James A. Aloisi, Jr, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki, New Bedford Mayor Scott W. Lang, Fall River Mayor Robert Correia and local officials, residents and business leaders.  

The Plan says commuter rail service to the South Coast would create between 3,500 and 3,800 net new jobs by 2030, with two-thirds of those jobs in the region.  Construction of the rail project would generate 7,000 to 8,000 new jobs, more than $1 billion in spending, and roughly $315 million in household income.

It is the result of a collaboration between the Commonwealth, 31 corridor communities and three regional planning agencies.  The process included more than 100 public meetings and events tapping the knowledge of regional residents, businesses, planners and other organizations. 

Governor Patrick and all New England Governors recently released a regional vision for high speed rail, including the South Coast Rail project. The Executive Office of Transportation has submitted a pre-application for competitive high speed rail stimulus grants to support the South Coast Rail Project.

View the South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan and project background information here.   

Read about New England’s High Speed Rail Vision.