First phase of South Coast Rail project breaks ground

State and municipal leaders, as well as elected officials and local stakeholders, gathered July 2 to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 1 South Coast Rail work and tour action taking place along the New Bedford Main Line in East Freetown, Mass.

The South Coast Rail project will restore commuter rail service between Boston and southeastern Massachusetts; with Phase 1 extending the existing Middleborough/Lakeville commuter rail service from Boston to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford. Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford are the only major cities within 50 miles of Boston that do not currently have commuter rail access to Boston.

“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 Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. “We are proud to advance South Coast Rail further than it’s ever been as part of our administration’s $8 billion MBTA infrastructure investment plan over the next five years.”

South Coast Rail early action projects currently underway have included infrastructure work on track, culverts and bridges as well as the acquisition of land for stations. An early action contract for four bridges was awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Board in April 2019. Additionally, Progress Rail was awarded a contract for the project’s special trackwork in December 2018 with shop drawings of the infrastructure submitted for approval and JF White was awarded an early action contract for culvert work in March 2019 and has begun right-of-way clearing, as well as installed the first culvert in late 2019.

Other South Coast Rail activities have included:

• Developing Phase 1 Operations and Maintenance cost;

• Advancing a portion of the Northern Corridor’s 30 percent design;

• Development of MBTA Commuter Rail station design standards;

• Ongoing community meetings;

• Developing scopes for Force Account Agreements with utility companies, Mass Coastal Railroad, Keolis Commuter Services and Amtrak;

• Property acquisition for station sites.

In April 2019, MassDOT and the MBTA announced that the South Coast Rail Program recently reached two critical Phase 1 milestones. First, a finance plan was completed and fully funded in the Commonwealth’s Capital Investment Plan. Second, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) approved the final federal permit required for the program to advance.

“Having Phase 1 of South Coast Rail fully funded in the FY20-24 Capital Investment Plan is a significant milestone,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Thank you to everyone who played a role in keeping this project going forward and we look forward to Phase 1’s start of service in 2023.”

With a recently agreed upon total program cost of $1.047 billion, Phase 1 of the South Coast Rail Program will be funded 100 percent by the commonwealth through a combination of general obligation bonds and special obligation bonds to be issued under existing authorization for the Rail Enhancement Program. The MBTA is not required to issue any revenue bonds that might otherwise impact the MBTA’s future operating budgets. All bond cap provided to the South Coast Rail Program will be in addition to the bond cap that MassDOT currently receives to fund its capital plan. There will be no reduction in bond cap allocated to MassDOT as part of the South Coast Rail Finance Plan.

“After years of advocacy, the day when this expansion project will provide service to Southeastern Massachusetts communities is finally in sight,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “This is a proud moment for MassDOT and the MBTA, and a proud moment for the cmmonwealth. I look forward to watching the infrastructure in this corridor take shape and am eager for the day in 2023 when the very first train operates on this route carrying passengers.”

South Coast Rail Phase 1 program management and oversight is also currently transitioning from MassDOT to the MBTA with the MassDOT Highway Division and Rail Group continuing to manage early action projects.

“Like the Green Line Extension, South Coast Rail is a priority that would not be possible without the strong support of the Baker-Polito Administration and the MassDOT and MBTA Boards,” said MBTA General Manager Steve 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.”