BOSTON — It’s been more than two years since the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Fiscal and Management Control Board voted to commit to electrifying the state’s Commuter Rail, and a coalition of elected officials on the North Shore are hoping their latest push will start to move the project forward.
In a letter sent to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), a coalition of 24 federal, state and local officials from Lynn, Nahant, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Swampscott, Beverly, Chelsea, and Everett urged the agency to prioritize electrification of the Commuter Rail in its upcoming five-year Capital Investment Plan.
Most of these communities are serviced by the Newburyport/Rockport line, which the MBTA board voted to electrify portions of in November 2019. As part of that vote, the board also voted to reduce fares on this line, known as the Environmental Justice Corridor, to subway rates and increase the frequency of trains. The MBTA board also voted to electrify the Fairmount and Providence lines.
Lynn representatives looking to put a jolt in the plan by signing onto this week’s letter include Mayor Jared Nicholson, state Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), state Reps. Peter Capano (D-Lynn) and Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn), and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton.
“The electrification of the Commuter Rail, coupled with reduced fares and increased frequency, will provide overall growth for the city of Lynn and its residents,” said Nicholson in a statement. “We must continue to invest in public goods that will push communities toward inclusive growth, such as public transportation.
“The electrification of the Environmental Justice Corridor will help tackle long-standing equity issues, as well as improve connectivity for Lynn’s residents and increase access to jobs and housing.”
In their letter, the elected officials identified key components of the project that should be funded in the MBTA’s Capital Investment Plan, which prioritizes investments over the next five years.
They include $400 million for the costs associated with the actual electrification of the Newburyport/Rockport line, which would involve power distribution and catenary installation, modifications to appropriate maintenance facilities and purchasing a new electric fleet; $260 million for step-free access to speed up boarding for everyone and to give riders with reduced mobility more access to the train; $120 million for infill stations that would be built on the existing line to address areas that have demand, but no existing stops; and $35 million for trolley rapid transit that would serve as a link between downtown Peabody and the Salem Commuter Rail station, which would attract hundreds on a daily basis.
“We need a commuter-rail system that works for everyone, and with electrification we can accomplish this, by ensuring that service is affordable, reliable, frequent, and environmentally friendly,” said Crighton in a statement. “We strongly urge the MBTA to immediately make these investments that will reduce carbon emissions and congestion, while also creating economic mobility for all.”
Moulton agreed, saying: “Our region has an unprecedented opportunity to abandon the status quo and invest in the future. If we electrify the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail line — making it greener and more accessible — we’ll be setting the standard for other communities. The MBTA should prioritize rail electrification and show that the commonwealth is serious about leading on economic recovery, environmental justice, and improved mobility.”
According to Nicholson’s office, the MBTA’s Capital Investment Plan is ultimately drafted through a process that involves the agency weighing the costs and benefits of each proposed project. A draft of the plan, which will include preliminary program sizes and project budgets, will be released on Thursday. This will be followed by a 30-day period for comment and public engagement facilitated by the MBTA; during this time, public input will be sought through meetings, letters, emails and online forms.
In May, the MBTA board, now known as the MBTA Board of Directors, will vote on the final capital plan, which the coalition of North Shore leaders hopes will include electrification of the Newburyport/Rockport line, along with reduced fares and increased frequency.
“I am proud to work in a united front with my colleagues from across the North Shore to request for the electrification of the Newburyport/Rockport line,” said Cahill in a statement. “We realize the immense potential that this investment in infrastructure would have for the workers and families of the North Shore. The faster and more reliable connection between cities and towns will have positive economic benefits for those municipalities and their residents.”
“Investments into the commuter-rail system are long overdue,” added Capano. “I join my colleagues in urging the MBTA to prioritize electrification, affordable fares, and reliable service so that residents of the North Shore have access to clean, equitable, and dependable transportation.”
