Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler, and MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak were joined this week by state and local elected leaders and community partners to celebrate the substantial completion of the $159 million contract for South Coast Rail Main Line construction. The celebration took place at a ribbon-cutting event at the brand-new Freetown Commuter Rail Station.
The $159 million contract awarded in May 2020 was the first major construction package awarded for South Coast Rail Phase 1 and included construction of two brand-new stations in Freetown and Fall River, construction of the all-new Weaver’s Cove layover facility, upgrades and modernization work on over 12 miles of track that were previously used for freight as well as work on nine bridges, 11 culverts, and 10 grade crossings. A second $403.5 million major construction contract for South Coast Rail Phase 1 was awarded in August 2020 to build South Coast Rail’s New Bedford Line, upgrade the Middleborough Secondary, and construct brand-new stations in East Taunton, Middleborough, two in New Bedford, a layover facility, and the Phase 1 signal and communication systems. Once this work is substantially complete, the South Coast Rail project will begin the commissioning process with Phase 1 anticipated to begin passenger service by late 2023.
The event also featured state, MassDOT, and MBTA officials riding four of the MBTA’s brand-new, bi-level Commuter Rail coaches, 16 of which are being procured in support of South Coast Rail as part of the $278.5 million contract awarded in December 2019 for 80 Hyundai-Rotem bi-level coaches.
When complete, Phase 1 of the South Coast Rail project will provide a one-seat trip from southeastern Massachusetts to Boston in less than 90 minutes. Phase 1 brings Commuter Rail service to the Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford communities through the extension of a secondary rail line west to Taunton from the existing Middleborough/Lakeville Commuter Rail station, and the creation of the Fall River Secondary Line and New Bedford Main Line.
Phase 1 of South Coast Rail broke ground in July 2019. Construction is divided into two contracts – the $159 million contract awarded to Skanska DW White JV for the Fall River Secondary Line, which was awarded first, and the second $403.5 million major construction contract awarded to SCR Constructors in August 2020 for the New Bedford Main Line, the Middleborough Secondary Line, and the signal system for the entire Phase 1 corridor, which will connect Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River to Boston.
The event at Freetown station also featured four of the MBTA’s brand-new, bi-level Commuter Rail coaches, 16 of which are being procured in support of South Coast Rail.
-via Press Release