Massachusetts West-East Rail Project Gets $3.5M Boost from Federal Government
An initiative to expand rail service to Springfield and ultimately to Albany from Boston via Worcester has received a boost from the federal government. The Federal Railroad Administration is providing…
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An initiative to expand rail service to Springfield and ultimately to Albany from Boston via Worcester has received a boost from the federal government. The Federal Railroad Administration is providing $3.5 million in funding for the project.
The funds will be applied to a service development feasibility study of a Boston-to-Albany intercity passenger rail route. This study will outline the steps required to implement the service, based on information obtained from a press release issued by Gov. Maura Healey's administration on Monday, Aug. 25.
“West-East Rail is on the way with this latest $3.5 million grant, and I am proud to have worked with Gov. Healey and our federal delegation to have now secured a total of $150 million in federal funding to make it a reality,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) said in the press release obtained by the Worcester Business Journal (WBJ). “West-East Rail is about more than simply building a train route. It's about building a connected economy, expanding opportunity, and forging a brighter and more sustainable future for residents across Massachusetts and our region.”
According to the WBJ, the West-East Rail project would gradually increase service from Worcester to Springfield, ultimately leading to more passenger rail connections to Albany and New Haven.
The latest funding from Washington adds to the $108 million awarded in 2024 to provide additional Amtrak service between Boston and New Haven via Springfield. Another $37 million was awarded in 2024 to initiate rail infrastructure and track improvements at Springfield Union Station.
Andy Koziol, director of the state's West-East Rail project, told the WBJ in February 2024 that enhanced mobility for employees would benefit businesses in Central Massachusetts. Koziol noted that addressing rail traffic congestion on the single-line track between Worcester and Springfield would be one of the most significant challenges to overcome.
According to Koziol, the state is considering adding track or passing sidings, which could allow passenger trains to pass slow-moving freight trains.
