Critics Hope That The South Coast Rail Talks End In 2016

As the project to expand rail service to the South Coast moves closer to 30 percent completion, critics hope that the South Coast Rail Project could come to an end in the 2016.

This means that building a 52 mile commuter rail service that would run through Stoughton, Easton and Raynham that would link Boston with Fall River and New Bedford, could be in jeopardy.

Those who live north of New Bedford and near the Boston area Local are hopeful that the $2.2 billion project is put to rest in 2016, while those on the South Coast are pushing forward.

According to the Taunton Daily Gazette, Stoughton select Chairman, Joseph Mokrisky, stated, “I could never understand how the T could get the bonding when they can’t afford to run what they have in front of them now.”

Last week, the state house reported that it could hit its $21.735 billion debt ceiling in fiscal year 2017 for the first time since it was established in 1989 and slow spending on infrastructure projects, including the South Coast Rail Project.

Joseph Pacheco, Selectman for Raynham, stated that one of the most telling aspects of the project is that Governor Charlie Baker has not taken a strong stance on the rail service since replacing Governor Deval Patrick, who was a big supporter of the project.

Daniel Murphy, select Chairman for Easton does not believe that the project is a good investment.

However, state Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, a Taunton Republican, who supports the project said that the project is making progress and that she wants it to move forward.

William Straus, a Democrat for Mattapoisett Democrat, recently introduced a bill to help pay for the bonds of the project. Straus is proposing that towns could enter into an agreement with the transportation secretary to designate an area around the project and levy property taxes in those areas.

With additional reporting by Sal Lopez