Commuter rail expansion:
By christina p. o’neill
Worcester Mayor and Lieutenant Governor hopeful Timothy Murray, criticizing the Romney Administration for what he says is its inattention to Worcester’s commuter rail needs, is actively comparing Massachusetts’ poor track record to Connecticut’s recent bipartisan success. He points to the 10-year, $2.3 billion pact forged by Connecticut’s Republican governor, Jodi Rell, and its Democratic legislature last month, a transportation package that would expand commuter rail service on the Hartford-Springfield corridor.
Murray has been a commuter rail advocate long before his current campaign. But expansion up and down the line won’t be easy. Even if a balance can be struck between passenger and freight traffic with CSX, the freight shipper which owns segments of the track along the run, there are other challenges. Kathleen Bartolini, Framingham’s town planner, cites the infrastructure problems of an 1860s rail system in the 21st century. Worcester commuters headed for Boston must pass through downtown Framingham, which has two grade crossings in its downtown core. Because commuter rail is time-sensitive and operates during the day, rather than in off-hours, any initiative to expand ridership would mean more temporary halts for traffic in Framingham’s Central Business District. Any expansion plan would have to include mitigation to the intersections affected, particularly the junction of Routes 126 and 135 downtown.However, she adds, Framingham officials understand the need for expansion of commuter rail, and they’re trying to collaborate with the City of Worcester and the Town of Ashland, which also has two grade crossings, to come up with a solution.
Christina P. O’Neill can be reached at coneill@wbjournal.com
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