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Another way for MBTA's plans
 South Coast Rail
Top Headlines The state Department of Transportation informed local legislators Wednesday that it has dropped an Attleboro-Norton route as a possible way of bringing commuter rail to the South Coast cities of New Bedford and Fall River. A draft study found that the route would be too costly and cumbersome because it would necessitate a third railway to be built along Amtrak tracks going toward Boston, the lawmakers said. The decision mirrors one made several years ago when South Coast rail service was first seriously considered. State Rep. John Lepper, R-Attleboro, noted that the rail issue was one of the first he dealt with as a freshman lawmaker 14 years ago. Now it is one of the last he will deal with as he retires from the House. "I'm relieved - again. It is a good way to go out of office," he said. Attleboro already has rail service, but the South Coast line would have cut through the city without making any stops. The proposal has generated considerable opposition because it would cut through an environmentally sensitive area of Norton and cross about 15 streets in Attleboro, Norton and Taunton. Taunton officials said it would have cut their city in half during rush hour and make it impossible for traffic and emergency vehicles to get around. State Rep. Jay Barrows, R-Mansfield, said he got the good word at a briefing in Boston. Like Lepper, he said the decision was a case of "history repeating itself." He said it was obvious to him and other area legislators that the Attleboro-Norton route would have been a poor choice. "You didn't need to be a rocket scientist or a railroad scientist to figure it out," he said. The Attleboro-to-Boston line currently in use by the MBTA and Amtrak is at capacity. Adding New Bedford-bound trains would require additional tracks. He also said there was a lot of local opposition. The state, however, is still considering other routes for South Coast trains and is forwarding some other recommendations to the Army Corps of Engineers for environmental study, Barrows said. There are Stoughton and Middleboro routes under consideration, along with enhanced bus service, he said.
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swoopy99_2000 wrote on Nov 20, 2008 11:19 AM:
from further consideration as detailed in Chapter 6 of the November 19 ENF.
But, the Army Corp of ENG. or MEPA could bring this alternative back on the table as they have the final say.
In the mean time, the EOT revealed the fact that the Attleboro Alternative would require the
construction of an entirely new nineteen mile track from Mansfield up to Readville
along the Northeast Corridor. This is the line that runs from DC/NYC/Providence to Boston. This
new track would disrupt service on the electrified high speed NE Corridor as the
NE Corridor would need to be power up and powered down each night to build next
to it. The new track would also require construction of a new "viaduct" next to the
existing historic (175 Year Old) viaduct over Neponset St. in Canton. Construction
of the track would effect the Mansfield, Sharon and Canton Stations as the new line
would require reconstruction of these three stations. Also, twenty two existing RR
and Highway bridges would need reconstructed for this new line. The cost of the
Attleboro Alternative would be roughly $2.5B which is too much for the State to pay
and it would not be completed until 2020 which is too late for the State's goal of
2016. "