Construction Begins At Wachusett Station In Fitchburg
Officials in North Central Massachusetts celebrated the groundbreaking of the site of the future Wachusett Commuter Rail Station in West Fitchburg Monday, a key element of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Wachusett Extension project designed to reduce commute times to and from Boston.
The $26.6 million project will be carried out by S&R Construction Co. of Newton, N.H. If work runs on schedule, construction will be complete by the end of 2014 and commuter rail service will begin, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
The Wachusett Extension project, which is being funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, has been in the works since 2009. The goal is to keep the ride time from Fitchburg to Boston to one hour.
Improvements underway include upgrades to the tracks, communications and signaling systems, resolution of conflicts between freight and passenger trains, and upgrades to the South Acton and Littleton stations.
Commuter rail service currently ends in downtown Fitchburg. The new Wachusett station, which will be just off Route 2, will include an 800-foot, high-level platform , a 360-space parking lot, a drop-off area for cars and buses, electric vehicle charging stations, passenger shelters, benches and windscreens, as well as signage and lighting.
A layover facility will also be on site, allowing for overnight storage of commuter rail trains and on-site maintenance.
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