An Act relative to restoring commuter rail to Cape Cod
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J27 | Accompanied | — |
(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, hereinafter referred to as MBTA, shall conduct a feasibility study, hereinafter referred to as the study, relative to establishing year-round, daily rail service between the towns of Falmouth, Bourne, Barnstable, Yarmouth and Sandwich and the city of Boston via the Cape Cod line, Hyannis Branch line and the Woods Hole Branch line. The study shall be undertaken in consultation and collaboration, to the maximum extent possible, with the New England District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and shall seek to complement and improve upon the Cape Rail Study of 2021. (b) The study shall examine and evaluate the costs and opportunities related to providing year-round, daily rail service between the towns of Falmouth, Bourne, Barnstable, Yarmouth and Sandwich and the city of Boston including, but not limited to: (i) the projected capital costs including the costs to upgrade the lines, signal systems, and stations for commuter rail including specific costs to upgrade tracks to each town with existing rail lines and costs to upgrade each station on Cape Cod; (ii) the development of an operating and maintenance plan for commuter rail access to Cape Cod towns; (iii) the prospect of operating high-speed rail service on existing rights of way and other operational issues including necessary upgrades to infrastructure; (iv) the environmental and community impact estimates, especially on environmental justice populations as defined in section 62 of chapter 30 of the General Laws; (v) the availability of federal, state, local and private sector funding sources including capital investments and ongoing operations and maintenance funding; (vi) first and last mile connections within the Cape Cod rail system including Cape only train routes; (vii) specific costs of infrastructure upgrades necessary at Middleboro and other MBTA stations to accommodate direct commuter rail access from Buzzards Bay to Boston; (viii) any other effects deemed necessary by the MBTA in order to ensure a complete report on the funding necessary to upgrade infrastructure for commuter rail access for Cape and Island residents. (c) The study shall determine all necessary steps the commonwealth must take to best position itself for any available or potential federal funding. Further, the study shall consider the commuting patterns of residents within the service area when considering potential rail schedules. (d) The study shall determine the feasibility, benefits, opportunities and costs of assuming ownership of the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge from the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The study shall also determine the feasibility, benefits, opportunities and costs of replacing the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge with a stationary bridge. (e) The Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall file a report on the findings and determinations of the study with the clerks of the house and senate, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation not later than 9 months after the effective date of this act.
Not later than 12 months after the effective date of this act, the MBTA shall begin commuter passenger train service between Buzzards Bay station and South station via the Cape Cod line. Train service shall occur year-round and, insofar as is feasible as determined by the MBTA, schedules shall be aligned with the commuting patterns of the service areas. The MBTA shall operate not less than 3 AM Peak trips and 3 PM Peak trips on this route each weekday.
SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, hereinafter referred to as MBTA, shall conduct a feasibility study, hereinafter referred to as the study, relative to establishing year-round, daily rail service between the towns of Falmouth, Bourne, Barnstable, Yarmouth and Sandwich and the city of Boston via the Cape Cod line, Hyannis Branch line and the Woods Hole Branch line. The study shall be undertaken in consultation and collaboration, to the maximum extent possible, with the New England District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and shall seek to complement and improve upon the Cape Rail Study of 2021. (b) The study shall examine and evaluate the costs and opportunities related to providing year-round, daily rail service between the towns of Falmouth, Bourne, Barnstable, Yarmouth and Sandwich and the city of Boston including, but not limited to: (i) the projected capital costs including the costs to upgrade the lines, signal systems, and stations for commuter rail including specific costs to upgrade tracks to each town with existing rail lines and costs to upgrade each station on Cape Cod; (ii) the development of an operating and maintenance plan for commuter rail access to Cape Cod towns; (iii) the prospect of operating high-speed rail service on existing rights of way and other operational issues including necessary upgrades to infrastructure; (iv) the environmental and community impact estimates, especially on environmental justice populations as defined in section 62 of chapter 30 of the General Laws; (v) the availability of federal, state, local and private sector funding sources including capital investments and ongoing operations and maintenance funding; (vi) first and last mile connections within the Cape Cod rail system including Cape only train routes; (vii) specific costs of infrastructure upgrades necessary at Middleboro and other MBTA stations to accommodate direct commuter rail access from Buzzards Bay to Boston; (viii) any other effects deemed necessary by the MBTA in order to ensure a complete report on the funding necessary to upgrade infrastructure for commuter rail access for Cape and Island residents. (c) The study shall determine all necessary steps the commonwealth must take to best position itself for any available or potential federal funding. Further, the study shall consider the commuting patterns of residents within the service area when considering potential rail schedules. (d) The study shall determine the feasibility, benefits, opportunities and costs of assuming ownership of the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge from the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The study shall also determine the feasibility, benefits, opportunities and costs of replacing the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge with a stationary bridge. (e) The Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall file a report on the findings and determinations of the study with the clerks of the house and senate, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation not later than 9 months after the effective date of this act. SECTION 2. Not later than 12 months after the effective date of this act, the MBTA shall begin commuter passenger train service between Buzzards Bay station and South station via the Cape Cod line. Train service shall occur year-round and, insofar as is feasible as determined by the MBTA, schedules shall be aligned with the commuting patterns of the service areas. The MBTA shall operate not less than 3 AM Peak trips and 3 PM Peak trips on this route each weekday.