MassDOT Board Approves Money For Southcoast Rail

Hopes for Southcoast Rail are being kept alive after the MassDOT Board of Directors approved a final Capital Investment Plan on Monday which included $148 million for the rail project.

Jean Fox, the Project Manager for Southcoast Rail, told WBSM News that this is a positive development especially as the focus is being put on maintenance of existing infrastructure.

"MassDOT is focused primarily on fixing all the stuff that's broken at the MBTA, and you can't really expand if your core system is broken," said Fox "the fact that we pass muster and remain one of the significant strategic expansion plans is very positive."

While some of the funds may be used to fund grade crossings on certain bridges, Fox says that most of the money will be used to continue design work.

"Primarily it's to get to a 30 percent design level, corridor wide, because at the 30 percent level you can then really start pulling your permits," said Fox "and there are many, many permits associated with this project."

Fox says that it will still be several years out before construction would begin on the project.

MassDOT will be having a meeting on Monday to discuss the 20-year capital investment plan and sources tell WBSM's Barry Richard that Southcoast Rail will be discussed during that meeting.