$4 million Redux

MassDOT Adds East-West Rail Funding to its 2024-2028 CIP

The Healey Administration’s proposed $12.5 million initial investment in East-West passenger rail has been added to the MassDOT Capital Investment Plan for 2024-2028. David Mohler, Executive Director of MassDOT’s Department of Transportation Planning, made the announcement at the MBTA/MassDOT Joint Board Meeting on June 22.

For the full story, see “MassDOT capital plan restores $12M east-west rail funding for Palmer, Pittsfield.”

After the Massachusetts legislature cut the Governor’s proposed East-West rail funding from the FY2024 state budget, Ben Hecksher and the Western Mass Rail Coalition lobbied the Governor and MassDOT to restore this important early action funding by including it in the MassDOT CIP.

Benefits for the Entire Commonwealth

Expanded passenger rail service across the state will have enormous economic and social benefits, not least among them the potential to address the need for housing in Eastern Mass by more closely linking it to more affordable and rural areas of Central and Western Mass. The Healey/Driscoll Administration is right to prioritize housing, and East-West rail, like existing MBTA commuter rail, will provide a huge opportunity to increase housing opportunities in communities newly-connected by passenger rail.

Funding of station work in Palmer perfectly complements MassDOT’s application for CRISI grant funding of track improvements on the freight line between Worcester and Springfield.

Funding of track and station improvements in Pittsfield is necessary to meet the growing demand for seasonal Berkshire Flyer service from New York City, as well as future Boston and Albany corridor service.

Karissa Hand, press secretary for the Healey administration, recently stated, “The governor’s FY24 budget proposed $650,000 for five full-time employees to work on West-East Rail, including [an East-West] Rail director. [The Massachusetts Department of Transportation] plans to begin the search for the [East-West] Rail director in FY24.” See “House, Senate deny $12.5 million for East-West Rail.”

Key Points in Favor of a Palmer Station

Transportation Options

• • A station in Palmer would serve residents of the 21 towns of the Lower Quabbin Region, from Amherst to Monson. See Towards a Passenger Station on the East-West Massachusetts Train Line – The Case for Palmer, UMass Amherst Center for Economic Development, June 2019.
  • Passenger rail service would be a transportation backbone. Local and regional bus and van services would provide last mile connections to communities throughout the area. The PVTA’s Ware Palmer Flex Route service, and the on-demand Quaboag Connector would both connect to a Palmer Station.
  • Expanding transit options in our area would have the following benefits:
    • Increased employment opportunities;
    • Improved health outcomes due to better access to health care, food, and recreation;
    • Economic development and re-investment in local business districts;
    • Expanded housing choices;
    • Access to regional educational and training institutions.

Economic Development

• • Restored passenger rail service would generate significant economic development impact. According to a Capitol Region Council of Governments transit oriented development (TOD) analysis, investment in the area of a Palmer station could result in an additional 650,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, 1,800 additional housing units, and 1,100 additional jobs. See The Economic Benefits of Regional Rail Investment in Metro Hartford-Springfield, Capitol Region Council of Governments, April 2021. Also see summary with links at: https://www.palmertrain.org/big-return-on-rail-investment-metro-hartford-springfield
  • A station located in downtown Palmer would be one mile from the campus of the former Monson Developmental Center, a property with enormous development potential.

Need for a Palmer station plan

Every study of expanded passenger rail in Western Massachusetts has recognized the value of a Palmer stop serving residents of communities between Worcester and Springfield, and connecting the large student population at UMass Amherst to Boston.

We have listed these studies below to indicate the preliminary planning that has been undertaken to determine the feasibility and identify the potential location(s) of a passenger rail platform in Palmer.

Recognizing the need for more detailed engineering design of the future station area, the Town of Palmer has prepared a Request for Proposal (RFP) “to hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility analysis that will identify the most suitable location for a passenger rail station in downtown Palmer.”

MassDOT, CSX, and Amtrak are working together to upgrade track between Worcester and Springfield, and restore passenger rail service to the Inland Route between Boston, Springfield, and New Haven. Planning has also begun for future service in a Boston/Albany Corridor.

The Town of Palmer needs to work with MassDOT officials, and transportation planners at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) in order to synchronize local station planning with the larger East-West passenger rail project developments.

The RFP prepared by the town provides a comprehensive overview of the scope of work necessary to evaluate, locate, and design a preferred Depot Village platform site.

Passenger rail studies including a Palmer stop

Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative (NNEIRI) (June 2016)
This multi-state study examined the possibility of high speed rail between Boston and Springfield, and from there to New Haven and Montreal. It is the most detailed and recent study of a Palmer stop, and notes possible problems with three potential sites. The longest discussions of possible Palmer sites are in the Alternative Analysis Report and the Tier 1 Environmental Assessment.

Central Corridor Passenger Rail Feasibility Study (June 2017)
This MassDOT study looked at the possibility of restored passenger rail service on the Central Corridor Line, which runs north-south and includes Palmer. It concluded the potential ridership did not justify the cost. It did not look at potential station location sites within Palmer.

Palmer Transit Oriented Development Draft Conceptual Downtown Plan (Sept. 2017)
This study looked at transit-oriented development (TOD) possibilities in Depot Village, Palmer, and was commissioned by the Palmer Redevelopment Authority (PRA). It briefly outlined several areas for a possible station location around the existing rail “diamond,” but with no real detail. An illustration of possible future sites was later used in the Palmer Master Plan (Aug. 2021, p. 25).

Towards a Passenger Station on the Massachusetts East-West Train Line: The Case for Palmer (June 2019)
This study argued for the inclusion of a Palmer stop as part of East-West passenger rail, and was commissioned by the Town of Palmer. While making an excellent case for the concept, it did not examine potential sites.

East-West Passenger Rail Study (Jan. 2021)
This MassDOT study examined high speed rail between Boston and Pittsfield. It is considerably less detailed than the earlier NNEIRI study. It identified Palmer as a future stop in all three final alternative build scenarios; however, it did not examine any potential sites within the town. Elements of the study have been moving forward since April 2022.

Metro Hartford-Springfield: Economic Benefits of Regional Rail (May 2021)
This study was commissioned by the Hartford area Capitol Region Council of Governments, and looked at the economic impact of passenger rail service from Worcester to Springfield and Hartford. It included Palmer and described potential economic benefits from passenger rail service, but did not examine potential sites.