DECEMBER UPDATE!!
The Northern Tier Passenger Rail study final report was released in late November. The coalition of central and western Massachusetts legislators is gathering feedback from constituents to help make their case for some form of the return of northern-tier passenger rail to Governor Healey and their fellow legislators.
How you can help bring back passenger trains between North Adams and Boston:
- Call the Governor’s office at 888-870-7770 (toll-free) and let her and her team know that you support the project. Short or long, your input will be shared with the Governor. The current tracks already move double-stacked freight trains; they can move passengers, too!
- Send an email or postcard to your state legislators telling them to support the return of Route 2 Passenger rail service. Students, faculty, and staff who live in Northern Berkshire should send an email to State Representative John Barrett ([email protected]) and State Senator Paul Mark ([email protected]). Other Massachusetts residents can find contact information for their State Representative and State Senator here.
- Tell your community leaders (elected, cultural, social service, etc.) to raise their voices in favor of the train’s return! Sample language can be found here.
Williams Students: your participation will help move this project forward! To learn how to volunteer on the project during the academic year, receive a stipend to conduct research during the summer, or get Winter Study course credit for your participation, complete the project interest form, email Paula Consolini ([email protected]), or visit CLiA’s Open Office Hours on Thursdays in Paresky Center from 11:30am-1pm.
Welcome to the Northern Tier Rail Restoration (NTier) Project Webpage. Williams students Elain He ’26 and Christopher Rodriguez ’26, have created this page to help improve public awareness and understanding of the Mass DOT Northern Tier Passenger Rail Project. The project seeks to restore passenger service on existing tracks between western Massachusetts and Boston, adding stops in communities through to North Adams. [Please note that this is not the official webpage for the MassDOT study, which can be found at: https://www.mass.gov/northern-tier-passenger-rail-study]
This site offers information and analysis about the project, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions. A short summary of the project’s origin segues to historical information and key documents, followed by analysis and stakeholder perspectives. Analysis of the likely Impact of the Expansion shares research on comparable projects and links to additional resources. The Voices of Support section provides commentary from various elected officials and community leaders in the four westernmost counties. All view the project favorably, which is not surprising given the longstanding inequities in the distribution of transportation funding in the Commonwealth.
As the review herein shows, passenger rail restoration along the northern route, a complement to the West-East Project from Albany, New York to Boston, will enhance personal mobility and the appeal of towns and cities on the Northern Tier while having a positive environmental impact. The project is worthy of public attention and input!
PROJECT ORIGIN
The rail restoration project began in 2019 with a bill (S.2054), to study the feasibility of the proposed service. This was sponsored by Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), whose district now includes territory in Franklin, Hampshire, and Worcester counties, and co-sponsored by then-Senator Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield) as well as Reps. Natalie Blais (D-Deerfield), Mindy Domb (D-Amherst), and John Barrett (D-North Adams). After selecting consulting firms for the study, the work proceeded under the supervision of MassDOT’s Makaela Niles. In 2022, $256 million was included in the transportation bond issue specifically for western Massachusetts rail service. In June 2023, MassDOT released a preliminary finding that declared the project feasible while estimating its cost at $2.1 billion. The final report is expected in early 2024.
Photos by Christopher Rodriguez