WORCESTER – Once the modernization of the signaling system on the Framingham/Worcester Line Commuter Rail has been completed, estimated by the end of the year, local officials will renew the push to increase the number of trains and decrease running times.
"We're asking the MBTA [Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority] to run the models that project how fast different trains can go and how [the work] affects the gap between trains," said Timothy Murray, president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and former mayor.
Murray, speaking at a press conference Monday, Aug. 10, was referencing a report compiled by the city's MBTA Working Group. It maintains that the state can determine the speed and frequency of trains through computer programs and subsequently "prioritize an efficient transportation network that puts passengers first."
"We're requesting the state run the models now," Murray said, hoping that the information will allow increases in service. The group expects the modernization project will encourage the state to bring back the Heart to Hub service at its original times, express train service of under an hour, and to shorten the transit time of local trains by 10 minutes, down to one hour and 10 minutes.
The MBTA is projected to have spent $22 million on signalization improvements by the end of the year, according to officials.
The MBTA Working Group was convened by Mayor Joseph M. Petty and local officials to advocate for the preservation, expansion and modernization of passenger rail service.
Richard Burke, chair of the MBTA Working Group and former CEO of Fallon Health, said the report addresses both short- and long-term issues to ensure the city has the rail service it needs and deserves.
While some are less complex, others will evolve over years and require large investment by the state, Burke said. One fix already made was a modification of the Amtrak daily service between Boston and Chicago. The train stopped in Worcester; however, passengers could not alight or step aboard that train.
Now, commuters can ride the Amtrak train between Boston and Worcester on that line, as well as between Worcester and Boston, said Murray.
The ask includes high-speed service between Boston and Worcester, a higher train frequency, more modern cars and locomotives, and assurances that future projects are sensitive to the transportation needs of the second largest city in New England.
City officials touted rail service as vital to the continued growth of Worcester. As the population increases, City Manager Eric D. Batista noted, public transportation plays a bigger role in continued financial investment and growth of industry and business.
Public transportation supports jobs, growth, education and community, Batista said, adding that it serves as a connector of people.
"This rail line is more than just a transit route. It is a vital bridge that benefits both Worcester and Boston," said Petty, one of several local officials including members of Worcester's legislative delegation, who attended the morning meeting. "By working collaboratively with MassDOT [Massachusetts Department of Transportation] and the MBTA, we will ensure that our riders are prioritized and that Central Massachusetts realizes its full economic potential through a modernized, reliable commuter experience."
Data compiled by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, reveals that 16% of in-bound daily riders originate in Worcester and fully 50% of riders alighting in Boston on the Framingham line, had stepped aboard at stations between Worcester and Framingham. Ridership has also increased; not just during commuting times, but on the weekends as well.
As the project comes to fruition, the committee will continue to meet to monitor the progress of the issues highlighted in the report and will create a report card on progress.
Of great concern to the group is the proposed construction of West Station within the Allston Multimodal Project, said Worcester Regional Research Bureau Executive Director Paul Matthews.
The MBTA Working Group attended meetings of the design team working on the Allston hub to present officials with its concerns and request that the project be sensitive to the needs of central and western Massachusetts residents.
The city group expressed concern that the massive Allston project would require all trains to stop at the new transit hub, a stop that would degrade the commuter experience between Boston and the city. The Worcester group advocated for a four-track layout, consisting of two mainline tracks and two separate station tracks, to guarantee that half of all Worcester trains can bypass the station entirely as express routes.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Local MBTA Working Group's report aims to optimize commuter rail