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Rail to Boston Fast Facts*
*Source: MassDOT
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Rail to Boston is a win-win for the South Coast and the Commonwealth. Look at the numbers:

Rail to Boston Benefits the
Metro Boston Economy The South Coast of Massachusetts is poorly connected to metro Boston, and both regions suffer from this disconnect. Re-establishing the commuter rail connection to Boston has the potential to provide an enormous boost to the South Coast while simultaneously providing great benefits to Metro Boston as well as the rest of the state. Rail to Boston will provide access to more workers for Boston employers. • The region’s 31 cities and towns have a combined population of 740,000 and are projected to grow to 900,000 by 2030. Without rail to Boston, employers will not reap the benefits of this growth. Re-establishing commuter rail to Boston will provide more affordable housing for the Boston workforce. • Development near ten new train stations is projected to produce between 6,500 and 8,700 new housing units. The rail to Boston link will reduce the severe congestion occurring on Route 24, which acts as a choke point for traffic heading into Greater Boston. • Metro Boston employers will benefit most directly by the reduction of Route 24 congestion, but the entire Commonwealth will benefit by upgrading the connection with South Coast Rail. Re-establishing the commuter rail connection to the South Coast promotes tourism, investment and a broader awareness of the region’s wonderful assets. •Through its innovative priority area development and protection program, rail to Boston will help preserve 10,000 acres of open space, protecting farms, forests and fields from sprawl development. |
Rail to Boston Protects the Environment
The Certificate on South Coast Rail’s final environmental report issued by the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs determines that it adequately and properly complies with state regulations and lists the forms of mitigation MassDOT has proposed to avoid, minimize and mitigate project impacts. •Re-establishing commuter rail to Boston will advance climate solutions by removing cars from the road and incorporating energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies into the design. •Increasing the number of people using public transit will improve regional air quality and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. •Nearly 300,000 vehicle miles traveled (VMT) daily on roads and highways will be eliminated. •There will be wetland creation and restoration to meet state and federal requirements and post-construction monitoring for up to 10 years. •There will be land acquisition or financial support to protect the habitat of several rare species, and funding for a study to develop long-term protective measures for the species. •Wildlife crossings will be installed to help protect state-listed wildlife, and a number of other activities will enhance biodiversity. •Mitigation to lessen construction impacts will be implemented with a wide variety of measures and practices. |
Rail To Boston Coalition
c/o Southeastern Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®,
651 Orchard Street, Ste. 101 New Bedford, MA 02744
We invite other business and community groups to join this critical campaign.
Chair Paul Chasse, CEO, Southeastern Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®
(508) 993-0406; [email protected]
PR Consultant Elizabeth Isherwood, President, Moore & Isherwood Communications
(508) 996-3946; [email protected]
c/o Southeastern Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®,
651 Orchard Street, Ste. 101 New Bedford, MA 02744
We invite other business and community groups to join this critical campaign.
Chair Paul Chasse, CEO, Southeastern Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®
(508) 993-0406; [email protected]
PR Consultant Elizabeth Isherwood, President, Moore & Isherwood Communications
(508) 996-3946; [email protected]