A proposed Massachusetts rail network linking Springfield and Boston would see its ridership increase by 54% if direct service to the Hartford Line is included, according to a new study.
The report, prepared by engineering company AECOM for the Capitol Region Council of Governments and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission — which oversees regional planning in the Springfield area and nearby counties — suggests 2040 ridership for the so-called East-West Rail system could increase from 469,000 to 540,000 if it included transfers to the Hartford Line or 720,000 with direct service.
The Hartford Line runs between New Haven and Springfield, making stops in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford.
An earlier study released last spring predicted that linking the Hartford Line with the Springfield-Boston connection could create up to 40,000 jobs over a 30-year period, adding support to arguments from Connecticut and Massachusetts officials that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation should move forward with the project.
“This analysis proves what we already know: East-West Rail between Springfield and Boston will make a huge difference for communities in our region,” Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement. “Increasing rail connectivity between cities in the Northeast isn’t just about convenience, it’s about job creation, housing opportunity and economic growth.”
Western Massachusetts lawmakers have held out hope that money from a proposed federal infrastructure bill could eventually be put toward East-West Rail. They envision an inland route linking cities such as Hartford, Springfield, Worcester and Boston as a climate-resistant alternative to the existing coastal railway running between New York City and Boston.
“East-West Rail is going to do more than link two regions, it’s going to link all of Western New England with all of Eastern New England,” said Massachusetts Sen. Eric Lesser. “Now is the time for East-West Rail and with partners like Mayor Bronin, PVPC, CRCOG and our federal delegation, I believe that we can get this done to create jobs, address skyrocketing housing costs and increase economic opportunity for all of our communities.”
