Massachusetts State Rail Plan
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HMMH Contents ES Executive Summary 1 State Rail Plan Purpose 1 Rail Plan Approach 1 Long-term Vision 2 Context of Massachusetts Rail System 2 Passenger Rail 2 Freight Rail 4 Accomplishments since 2010 Rail Plan 6 MassDOT Rail Acquisition 6 Inter-city Rail Investment 7 Freight Investment 7 Concurrent Processes 7 Short- and Long-Term Investments 8 Short-Term Project Priorities 8 Long-Term Modernization and Expansion Priorities 8 Conclusion 14 1 Chapter 1 15 1.1 State Rail Plan Purpose 15 1.2 Rail Transportation in the State Transportation Network 16 1.2.1 Impact on Massachusetts Economy and Quality of Life 17 1.3 Institutional Structure of Massachusetts’ State Rail Program 18 1.4.1 Freight Rail Services 19 1.4.2 Passenger Rail Services 22 1.5 Rail Milestones since the 2010 Massachusetts State Rail Plan 23 1.6 Massachusetts’ Goals for the Statewide Multi-modal Transportation System and State Rail Plan 26 1.6.1 Goals for Rail in the Multimodal Transportation System 26 1.6.2 MassDOT Vision for Massachusetts Passenger and Freight Rail Service 26 1.7 State Rail Plan Context 27 1.7.1 Rail Initiatives Under Development 27 1.7.3 Involvement in Multi-State Rail Implementation 30 1.7.4 Federal Mandate for State Rail Plans 30 1.7.5 Integration with the National Rail Plan 30 2 Chapter 2 31 2.1 Massachusetts Rail System 31 2.1.1 Freight Rail System 31 2.1.2 Passenger Rail Network 44 2.1.3 Amtrak Inter-city Rail Service Performance Evaluation 50 2.1.4 Programs and Projects to Improve Safety and Security 54 2.1.5 Rail Transportation Impacts in Massachusetts 59 2.2 Trends and Forecasts 63 2.2.1 Demographic and Economic Growth Factors 63 2.2.2 Freight Demand and Growth 65 2.2.4 Fuel Cost Trends 71 2.2.5 Rail Congestion Trends 71 2.2.6 Highway & Airport Congestion Trends 74 2.2.7 Land Use Trends 77 2.3 Rail Service Needs and Opportunities 78 2.3.1 Passenger Rail 78 2.3.2 Freight Rail Needs 79 3 Chapter 3 81 3.1 Near-term Strategy and Projects 82 3.1.1 Near-term Project Identification: CIP Development 82 3.2 Long-term Projects 83 3.2.1 Long-term Inter-city Rail Project Identification 83 3.2.2 Project Descriptions 84 3.2.3 Long-term MBTA Strategies 88 3.2.4 Long-Term Prioritization Process 89 4 Chapter 4 91 4.1 Near-term Strategy and Key Project Proposals 92 4.2 Long-term Freight Rail Project Proposals 93 4.2.1 Long-term Freight Strategy 93 4.2.2 Long-term Freight Rail Projects 93 4.2.3 Long-term Prioritization Process 94 5 Chapter 5 95 5.1 Vision 95 5.2 Program Development 96 5.3 State Rail Plan Near-Term Program 96 5.3.1 Prioritization Process 96 5.3.2 Near-term Investment Highlights 96 5.3.3 Full Near-term Investment Program 101 5.4 State Rail Plan Long-term Program 101 5.4.1 Prioritization Process 101 5.4.2 Long-term Investment Program 105 5.4.3 Long-term Tier 2 Investments for Further Study and Studies Currently Underway 107 5.4.4 Public and Private Economic Benefits 109 5.5 Relevant Ongoing Rail Studies and Reports 109 5.6 Program Coordination 109 5.7 Financing Plan 110 5.7.1 Funding and Financing Opportunities 110 5.7.2 Federal Aid 111 5.7.3 Federal Competitive Discretionary Grants 112 5.8 Next Steps 114 6 Chapter 6 115 6.1 Introduction 115 6.2 Engagement 116 6.2.1 Website 116 6.2.2 Public Meetings 116 6.2.3 Metropolitan Planning Coordination 116 6.2.4 Coordination with Federal Agencies and Neighboring States 116 6.2.5 Railroad Interviews and Rail Shipper Focus Groups 117 6.2.6 Public Comment Period 117 6.3 Feedback Summary and Response 119 A Appendix A 121 B Appendix B 131 ES Executive Summary Massachusetts Rail Plan Executive Summary State Rail Plan Rail Plan Purpose Approach The purpose of the State Rail Plan is to The history of comprehensive rail guide the future of the rail system and planning in Massachusetts has led rail services in the State. Specifically, it is to positive results for the state’s intended to: transportation network. This success has relied on utilizing a statewide • Set forth Commonwealth policy and regional system approach when involving freight and passenger envisioning future programs. With rail transportation this context in mind, the State Rail • Establish policies, priorities and Plan follows the six-chapter structure strategies to enhance rail services recommended by the Federal in the Commonwealth that provide Railroad Administration (FRA) for benefits to the public State Rail Plans: • Serve as the basis for Federal and State rail investments • Chapter 1 provides an overview within Massachusetts of the role of rail in the state’s • Establish the means and mechanism multimodal transportation to coordinate with adjoining system, and the State organization States, private parties and the to support rail development; Federal Government in projects of • Chapter 2 describes the state’s regional and national significance, existing rail system, including including corridor planning and future trends, forecasts, needs, investment strategies and opportunities; • Meet the planning requirement • Chapters 3 and 4 outline established by the Federal proposed passenger and Railroad Administration freight rail improvements and investments; The State Rail Plan includes both a • Chapter 5 describes the state’s rail near-term 5-year plan, where funding service and investment program; has already been identified or will be and identified for the upcoming annual • Chapter 6 documents the State transportation budget process, coordination with other plans and as well as a 20 year, long-term strategy stakeholder outreach conducted for State investment in rail. Because of as a part of this effort. parallel planning processes addressing the future of Commuter Rail (Focus40 and the MBTA Rail Vision), the State Rail Plan is not a planning or policy document for MBTA Commuter Rail. 1 Massachusetts Department of Transportation | Executive Summary The Massachusetts State Rail Plan outlines the Program (IRAP). The following section provides an overview of the Commonwealth’s 20-year plan for the statewide rail system. rail system in the Commonwealth. The plan describes the policies and planning goals for the State rail network, the existing rail system, future trends, Passenger Rail proposed improvements, and the State investment program. The rail system in Massachusetts is a critical part of the transportation It also highlights changes that have been made since the network for moving residents and Massachusetts State Rail Plan was developed in 2010. visitors throughout the Commonwealth. Coordination conducted with stakeholders and the general Inter-city travel in the State and across the Northeastern United States is public is also documented in the plan. provided by Amtrak, which serves nearly three million riders in Massachusetts each year. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Long-term Vision Context of provides an important travel alternative Over the past few decades, MassDOT Massachusetts to Logan Airport. The Massachusetts has acquired significant segments Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) of track and right-of-way to Rail System provides commuter rail service to leverage investments for freight and A well utilized rail network of approximately forty million riders passenger rail. MassDOT intends to passenger and freight rail can annually. Passenger rail also includes strategically look for opportunities to have many benefits for the seasonal or tourist rail operations. leverage these investments to better Commonwealth and its residents – Currently, the MBTA provides seasonal serve the Commonwealth over the improved connectivity, Greenhouse service to Cape Cod via the Cape Flyer next 20 years. The Commonwealth’s Gas (GhG) reduction, vehicle train. While this plan is not focusing on vision for rail investment can be congestion reduction, travel time the future of MBTA's transit services and summarized as follows: savings, reduced wear and tear on commuter rail, the context of commuter rail is important for the Rail Plan due to • Long-Term Reliability & the roadways, individual or firm cost lines shared by commuter rail, inter-city Resiliency: Maintain and savings, and economic development. rail, tourist service, and freight. improve the rail system in The Commonwealth recognizes Massachusetts to enable efficient the benefits of the rail system, and Rail investments in the has been working to maximize the and dependable passenger and Commonwealth of Massachusetts freight rail operations. public benefit from rail investment • Modernize: Improve existing in the Commonwealth. The MassDOT reduce environmental impacts by systems to meet industry owned Rail System is a subset of the offering shippers and travelers standards and Federal regulations larger Massachusetts Rail System to ensure proper operations and represents 25% of the statewide a lower emissions alternative for both freight and passenger active route miles for freight, to motor vehicle and air travel. excluding the Massachusetts Bay rail services. Greater movement of goods, • Optimize: Pursue opportunities Transit Authority (MBTA) commuter to leverage prior investment to rail portions of the rail network in particular by rail, produce improve service (shown in Figure ES-3). MassDOT has large GHG emission benefits – a acquired rail to maintain essential ° Maximize return on prior investments transportation services, facilitate 75 percent reduction for every current or future passenger service ° Leverage ton-mile shipped by rail versus partnership opportunities and/or to be preserved for other truck. In addition, passenger rail • Regional Balance: Pursue transportation uses. MassDOT also strategies that balance the costs provides funding to support certain services can offer similar GHG and benefits of rail throughout operations and/or the maintenance reduction benefits when train the Commonwealth.