Boston councilors all aboard for high-speed train to Springfield
"It is a true win-win that could truly unite our Commonwealth."
What could help solve both Boston’s housing crisis and its gridlock congestion?
A high-speed passenger rail line, according to City Councilor Matt O’Malley.
In a show of support for a train to connect Boston with Springfield, the City Council Wednesday passed an O’Malley-spearheaded resolution boasting that the long-discussed potential project could help both the city and the Commonwealth tackle some of their most pesky problems.
“You talk about some of the issues that we’ve been dealing with as Bostonians: housing, affordability, congestion, traffic,” O’Malley said. “You look at some other cities outside of Boston and Greater Boston who are having the reverse effect. They’re having a not-quite-so-strong, sometimes falling real estate market. They see unemployment numbers grow. This is a way we can absolutely address it.”
The gesture comes as a state-sponsored study dives into what it would take to get such a service — between Boston, Springfield, and Pittsfield — in motion.
Travelers looking to get to Springfield from Boston currently have one rail option, a Chicago-bound train on the Lake Shore Limited line, but it is only offered once a day.
The council’s resolution, which received unanimous support, says the railroad could bridge a solution to opposite problems each side of the Commonwealth is currently facing.
While Boston’s housing market has skyrocketed and a growing population has led to longer, more congested commutes, Springfield and Western Massachusetts communities have seen their populations dwindling, along with a decline in employment and housing demand, the resolution says.
By comparison, the median rent in Hampden County is $821, while in Suffolk County, it’s hit $1,298, according to officials.
Still, O’Malley said, Boston and Greater Boston residents often “don’t see the direct need or direct impact” of why they have an interest in paying for regional transit projects.
“With east-west rail, what’s good for commuters is good for residents of Boston as well,” O’Malley said. “East-west rail means fewer cars clogging our highways, less climate change, shorter commutes, which will make Boston a more attractive place for businesses.
“It is a true win-win that could truly unite our Commonwealth and help address two of Boston’s most significant challenges: housing costs and congestion,” he added.
State Sen. Eric Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat who has shepherded the proposal for high-speed rail on Beacon Hill, called the measure “an incredible show of support.”
“It’s time to connect our state and bring news jobs, housing and opportunities to ALL our families!” he wrote in a Tweet.
https://twitter.com/EricLesser/status/1123638442804621312
