With plans for expanded east-west passenger rail service moving again after the delay from the pandemic, people on the projects advisory panel on Wednesday eliminated an option to link train service to Springfield with buses to Pittsfield.
Instead, the only options on the table would have enhanced bus service all the way west, from Boston to Worcester, Springfield, and Pittsfield.
"This is a generational investment we are going to make," said state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D- Lenox.
Pignatelli has brought up his opposition to bus service — which would be slower and perceived at least as less convenient — and along with state Sen. Adam Hinds, D- Pittsfield.
2/6/2020 Springfield- State Representative Smitty Pignatelli of Lee during a meeting of the East-West Passenger Rail Study Adivsory Committee held at the Springfield Sheraton. (Don Treeger / The Republican)
U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, also opposed using buses to link Pittsfield and Springfield and reiterated that opposition Wednesday.
The vote, taken during a zoom meeting of the project advisor committee, narrows the potential project to three alternatives, although MassDOT says it might form new alternatives by taking elements of one of the six and combining it with elements from other alternatives. But the buses are off the table.
Memebrs of the committee are expected to submit more formal comments in the next week. A report back with updated costs and passenger estimates from the state will be finished by September.
Also on Wednesday, MassDOT agreed to change its b]methods for estimating potential passenger demand. Under its new methods, ones that take into account people traveling further to a station to park-and-ride and also the potential for housing, retail and office development near stations, passenger estimates might be four or five times higher than ones previously released.
Palmer planning director Linda Leduc also advocated Wednesday for a station stop in that town with bus connections to Amherst with its large population of students and the Quabbin Region as well.
“There are gaps in a whole rural region,” she said.
But MassDOT has already estmiated costs for the project in the billion — $2 billion to improve rail service along existing tracks to an eye-popping $25 billion for an electrified, high-speed rail line.
"bus" - Google News
June 11, 2020 at 03:00AM
https://ift.tt/3f431ua
East-west rail group drops bus option at insistence Pittsfield lawmakers - MassLive.com
"bus" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2rp2JL3
https://ift.tt/3aT1Mvb
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "East-west rail group drops bus option at insistence Pittsfield lawmakers - MassLive.com"
Post a Comment