USDOT obligates grant to Massachusetts for Vermonter line improvements

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced it obligated $72.8 million in High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) program funds to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for upgrades to Amtrak’s Vermonter line.

The proceeds will be used to restore a 50-mile line between Springfield and East Northfield, Mass., along the Connecticut River Valley. The improvements will enable Amtrak to cut travel times on the Vermonter line — which runs between St. Albans, Vt., and Washington, D.C. — by nearly 30 minutes, according to the USDOT.

The Massachusetts portion of the Vermonter corridor first was built in the 1800s. In the 1980s, Amtrak shifted its service to a line located farther east because of deteriorating track conditions on the original line. The original route is located on Pan Am Southern Railway’s Connecticut River mainline. MassDOT also plans to use grant proceeds to build stations in Greenfield and Northampton.

Last year, the USDOT obligated $50 million in HSIPR program funds to the Vermont Agency of Transportation to improve 190 miles of track between St. Albans and Vernon, shaving 30 minutes off Vermonter travel times within the state. Longer term, the improvements in Vermont and Massachusetts will help increase service reliability and accommodate future expansion to Montreal., according to the USDOT.