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3 things to know about the new rail line connecting southeastern Mass. to Boston
The Fall River/New Bedford line, which opened Monday, has been in the works for decades and has cost billions.
The Fall River/New Bedford MBTA Commuter Rail line began service Monday morning, connecting southeast Massachusetts communities to Boston for the first time in 65 years.
The rail — which goes to Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River — has been in the works for decades and has cost billions of dollars to complete.
“After years of delays, we took this challenge head on and delivered for the people of the South Coast – and our entire state will benefit,” said Gov. Maura Healey in a March 24 press release.
Here is what you need to know about the new rail:
The extended line has been a long time coming
Former Gov. Bill Weld once predicted the rail would be in service in 1997, signing a bond bill in 1991 that included $3 million to go through environmental and design work for the project. In 1996, Weld signed another bond bill totalling $3 billion, $136 million of which was allocated to the MBTA to extend the line to New Bedford and Fall River, according to the New Bedford Light.
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When Mitt Romney took over as governor, he halted the South Coast Rail project in favor of a $31 billion plan to fix bridges and roadways over 20 years. The next governor, Deval Patrick, restarted the project and priced it at $1.4 billion, according to the New Bedford Light.
The state put a significant $2.3 billion behind the project in 2014 and, in 2017, then-Gov. Charlie Baker set in place a two-phase plan that would first connect the southeast communities with the Middleborough/Lakeville line, according to the New Bedford Light.
Now, with a $1.1 billion investment behind it, the Middleborough/Lakeville line extended to Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River and was renamed the Fall River/New Bedford line.
The locations and schedule of the new line
The extended line houses six new stops. Starting at Middleborough — which replaces the Middleborough/Lakeville station — the train goes to East Taunton before branching off to Freetown and Fall River Depot. The second branch goes to Church Street and New Bedford, according to the MBTA.
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The current Middleborough/Lakeville station was renamed Lakeville station and will only service the seasonal CapeFLYER, according to the MBTA.
Trains are expected to run every 70 minutes on the weekdays. There are an expected 32 direct trips from South Station, including 15 trips to Fall River and 17 trips to New Bedford. On weekends, there will be 26 total trips with trains running every two hours, according to the MBTA.
Free service until April
The South Coast rail will be free on weekdays through the end of March. Travelers are eligible if they are starting or ending their trip on one of the six new stops. Riders will need to let a conductor know their origin and destination stations to receive free travel, according to the March 24 press release.
Once the free period is over, riders can expect a one-way trip between South Station and any of the new stations to cost $12.25, or a reduced $6 fare for seniors, people with disabilities, and those with eligible incomes, according to the MBTA.
“Whether you’re traveling from Fall River or New Bedford to downtown Boston or heading toward southeastern Mass. to enjoy their many community offerings, we welcome new and even more passengers to experience the benefits of this new transit expansion,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng in a March 20 press release.
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Free weekend service will be available between March 29 and April 27, as well as on Patriots Day on April 21, according to the March 24 press release. Free parking in front of any of the six new stations is available between March 24 and April 30.
This story has been updated to correct former Governor Deval Patrick’s name.
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