LYNN — When Senator Brendan Crighton, (D-Lynn) found out that electrification of the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the Commuter Rail was not included in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s five-year capital investment plan, he said he was disappointed and frustrated at the decision.
“It’s a no-brainer. I don’t know anyone who would be opposed to this,” Crighton said. “We have a very strong case to make for the electrification of not just this line, but the entire commuter-rail system.”
Crighton serves as the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, serving alongside state Rep. William Straus, who is the House chair of the committee.
He was appointed as chair by Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) in February.
As chairman, Crighton said he has been holding conversations with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Steve Poftak to make his case for investing in electrifying the Commuter Rail in Lynn and across the state.
He said he has also been holding meetings with the Baker administration, members of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and Attorney General Maura Healey about this project.
The MBTA’s five-year capital investment plan (CIP) aims to spend $9.4 billion through fiscal year 2027 on 552 projects.
The plan, released on Thursday morning, does not include the $815 million needed for the electrification of the Newburyport/Rockport line ― also known as the Environmental Justice Corridor project ― despite the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board giving the plan initial approval in 2019.
Crighton said the proposed plan from the MBTA was only a draft and that it can be amended to include the funding for the project before the agency votes on it in May.
“There are going to be three virtual sessions throughout April for people to give feedback on the plan,” Crighton said. “The North Shore Coalition of mayors and state lawmakers meet together regularly to discuss these issues and everyone has their voices heard.”
Crighton suggested that the Commuter Rail is seen as the black sheep of the MBTA, but added that it plays an important role for commuters in Lynn who use it for transportation.
“Most of our residents can’t pay $7 for a one-way trip to Boston,” he said. “I am hoping with the funding from the infrastructure bill passed in November we can take the initiative of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and use it to our advantage.”
Despite this roadblock, Crighton said the state has and is continuing to make headway in improving public transportation, citing the completion of the Green Line Expansion, as well as U.S Senator Ed Markey and Congresswoman Kathleeen Clark securing $4 million for the construction of a Commuter Rail station at Wonderland in Revere, as examples.
Crighton said those projects were expected to fail, but the fact that they made progress indicates that future projects can be completed as well.
“We need to start asking ourselves what our next big project is going to be,” Crighton said. “For me, our next big project should be phase one of electrifying the Commuter Rail. Estimates say we could have an electrified fleet in 2034 and we can’t wait that long.”
Crighton said he would like to see President Joe Biden, an advocate for trains and public transit, visit Lynn to advocate for electrification but admitted that would be unlikely.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have him in my telephone contacts,” Crighton said, jokingly.
