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MassDOT News Home > Information Center > Weekly Newsletters > MassDOT News 06/19/2015

June 19, 2015 MassDOT Completes Framingham Secondary Rail Line Acquisition MassDOT announced acquisition is complete of the Framingham Secondary Rail Line, a 21mile segment of rail that connects Framingham and Mansfield. The line was purchased from CSX

Corporation for $23 million.

MassDOT June Purchase of the Framingham Secondary is a strategic investment Board Meeting that links the Framingham/Worcester, Needham, Franklin, and the Attleboro/Northeast Corridor commuter rail lines together. June 29 The Framingham Secondary Line is also a major rail corridor for Transportation Building the shipment of freight between several key points in eastern 10 Park Plaza Massachusetts, including Readville, Milford, Franklin, Fall River, Suite 3830 and New Bedford, as well as Worcester. The line is also used for Boston, MA 02150 passenger service to and from Patriots home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. For the purposes of planning for longterm infrastructure needs, purchase of the line provides added rail Full Meeting Schedule capacity that allows for passenger service to travel on alternative routes in cases where capital On the MassDOT Blog projects may disrupt normal service. Secretary Pollack Honors "After careful consideration of the agreement to purchase the Framingham Secondary Rail Line from Toll Collectors' CSX, MassDOT concluded that acquiring this rail asset supports our goals of increasing use of freight LifeSaving Actions rail, which takes trucks off our highways and reduces greenhouse gases by consolidating the movement of freight," said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. "Additionally, purchase of the line establishes the interconnectivity of four of our major commuter rail lines, which allows us to plan for future rail upgrades in a way that will minimize disruptions by creating options for trains to continue providing passenger service by bypassing sections of rail on any of the four lines that would be under construction."

Purchase of the line will also guarantee that gameday passenger service to Gillette Stadium for MassDOT Toll Collectors Patriots games will continue. The rail line’s current condition is only slightly above standards required Ricardo Arriaga, Carmen for passenger service. MassDOT’s ownership of the line, coupled with infrastructure upgrades, will Alcantara and Peter Kusi were allow for the continuation of the successful gameday service. During the 20142015 season, 17,128 busy serving customers at the riders took the train to Foxborough; 6,015 more riders came from Providence, through Mansfield along I90, I495 Interchange 11A in the southerly end of the Framingham Secondary. Westborough on Thursday, "Beyond the shortterm value of supporting the shipment of freight, in the long term, the line has the December 18, 2014. In a potential to support future economic development," said MassDOT Rail and Transit Administrator Astrid matter of minutes on that day, Glynn. "The communities to the southwest of Boston are experiencing strong regional growth. Should they would work together and that trend continue, we would look engage the surrounding communities in a conversation about the take steps that may have potential for a pilot program of additional passenger rail service." saved a life. Prior to enhanced service, the line would require significant upgrades to track, signals, and switches, to View the entire Toll Collectors' accommodate regular passenger trains. With preliminary upgrades set to begin next spring, any pilot of LifeSaving Actions blog post. service would not begin before calendar year 2017. A customer in the interchange parking lot approached Peter MBTA Parking Lots: ‘Honor Box’ Payments System to be Eliminated with the news that a friend The MBTA said that effective Monday, July 6th, the so had passed out. Peter called ‘honor box’ payment system will no longer exist at immediately ran to get help MBTA parking lots. from Carmen and Ricardo. Carmen called 911 and The MBTA is eliminating the process of folding individual brought an Automated dollar bills and stuffing them into tiny slots. The easier, more convenient payment method is External Defibrillator (AED) to PayByPhone which allows customers to pay parking fees by using any phone or any internet connected the scene, while Peter and device. PayByPhone is already used by more than 75% of MBTA customers parking in ‘honor box’ lots Ricardo pulled the patron from throughout the transit system. Another convenient option for customers is the monthly permit system, a car. The person was not which includes a builtin discount. At ‘honor box’ lots where the daily parking fee is commonly $4.00, a breathing. Peter and Ricardo $70.00 monthly permit can save daily parking customers up to $30.00 a month. In August, monthly each performed CPR until permits will have another benefit when they become ‘universal.’ One permit will be accepted at any State Police and an ambulance MBTA parking facility with the same or lower daily parking fee. arrived. Information is available learn more about Monthly Parking Permits.

For customers who choose not to sign up for PayByPhone, the MBTA will mail a monthly invoice to the address listed on the vehicle owner’s registration. Customers choosing the invoice method of payment will pay 50 cents more than PayByPhone customers. If invoices remain unpaid for more than thirty days, subsequent reminder invoices and notices of nonpayment will be accompanied by a fine. Similar Renew Your Driver's to All Electronic Tolling used on the Tobin Bridge, this payment system is licensed plate based and eliminates the need to pay for MBTA parking using cash. License Renew Your Effective Monday, July 6th, PayByPhone customers can make payment over the phone at 1866234 7275, or using the PayByPhone app. Customers are encouraged to sign up for PayByPhone at Registration www.paybyphone.com. Branch Locator MBTA: Late Night Service Changes Social Media As first announced in April, changes are coming to MBTA Follow Us On... Late Night Service on Friday and Saturday nights. After closely monitoring ridership levels for the yearlong Late Night Service pilot program, the MBTA is implementing a schedule that continues to offer service when demand is greatest.

The following Late Night Service changes take effect on Saturday night/Sunday morning, June 27/28:

Last subway trains will depart downtown stations at approximately 2:00AM on Friday and Saturday nights; this is also the latest time to make connections between subway lines. The five least productive Late Night bus routes will be eliminated: 15, 22, 71, 73, 77 Frequency on all other bus routes and rail lines will be reduced. The MBTA will continue to review and modify Late Night Service to meet customer needs in a cost effective way while considering future alternative service delivery options. The Late Night Service changes were made following a comprehensive review and public comment process in February and March of this year involving nearly 1,700 participants.

RMV, SADD Honor Student, Kick Off Summer Campaign MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles and state officials and members of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) National announced the selection of the SADD National Student of the Year and to officially kickoff the "100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers" campaign.

"Statistics show that teen drivers are more likely to be involved in a fatal crash during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day," said Registrar of Motor Vehicles Erin C. Deveney. "Massachusetts is no stranger to this crisis. Six teens have died in car crashes in Massachusetts since 2012 (five in 2012, and one in 2014) during the summer months. We look forward to working with SADD to learn how we can reduce the number of teen fatalities and injuries and become an example for the rest of the nation on teen driver safety."

From Memorial Day through Labor Day in 2012, nearly 1,000 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving teen drivers, and more than 550 of those killed were teens, according to the National Safety Council. The association of teen fatalities during this time period is linked to teens driving more frequently and potentially with more of their friends. Passengers increase the risk of a teen driver being involved in a fatal crash by at least 44 percent, according to the National Safety Council.

"Car crashes are the number one killer of teens in the US today," said SADD President and CEO Dawn Teixeira. "From distracted and impaired driving, lack of seat belt use to just plain inexperience, SADD knows that teens can and should be part of the solution. That's why we are excited that Registrar Deveney has invited a group of SADD teens from Easthampton High School, led by Bryan Delaney SADD National’s Student of the Year, to meet and discuss ways in which the RMV can best reach teens through social media."

Bryan Delaney, 18 of Easthampton, was honored as the SADD National Student of the Year during the press conference. Delaney was chosen from a pool of more than 20 finalists from schools nationwide.

"When a recent graduate of my high school was killed in a headon collision due to the other driver texting while driving, the shock struck everyone in the community profoundly. I have made it my mission to address this issue head on; I don’t want this to ever happen again," said Bryan Delaney, Easthampton Resident and SADD National Student of the Year. "I am honored and excited have the opportunity to address this issue in my home state of Massachusetts and on the national level as SADD's newest Student of the Year."

To become a Friend of SADD or for more information, visit us online at sadd.org or parentteenmatters.org