MBTA, state officials mark start of South Coast Rail project

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Pollack, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Steve Poftak and other dignitaries attended a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday for the South Coast Rail project's first phase.

The more than $3 billion project calls for restoring commuter-rail service between Boston and Massachusetts' South Coast, with stops in New Bedford, Fall River and Taunton. The $1 billion first phase includes extending Middleborough Line service to New Bedford and Fall River; reconstructing 17.3 miles of the New Bedford mainline and 11.7 miles of the Fall River secondary; upgrading the Middleborough secondary track from Pilgrim Junction to Cotley Junction covering 7.1 miles; building two new layover facilities; and constructing six new stations.

"South Coast Rail Phase 1 will connect Taunton, Fall River, New Bedford and the surrounding areas to Boston, giving people more options to get to and from southeastern Massachusetts," said Baker in a press release.

Like the Green Line extension, South Coast Rail wouldn't be possible without support from the state and MassDOT and MBTA boards, said Poftak.

"The MBTA is excited to build on the foundation that MassDOT built, and to begin passenger-rail service to the South Coast in 2023," he said.

Phase 1 infrastructure work is on track, culverts and bridges has started, and land acquisitions for stations are underway. In April, two critical first-phase milestones were reached: a finance plan was completed and fully funded in the state capital plan, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the final federal permit, MBTA officials said.

The management and oversight of South Coast Rail’s first phase currently is transitioning from MassDOT to the MBTA, with the MassDOT Highway Division and Rail Group continuing to manage early actions.