Imagine that it’s the year 2020. The commonwealth’s economy has recovered from the doldrums of 2012. For the first time since service was halted in 1959, commuter rail now serves southeastern Massachusetts. South Coast Rail has begun to energize the economy of the region, bringing new connections to the gateway cities of Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford. Easy access is bringing more tourists south to these historic cities, which are seeing new rates of downtown investment.

This scenario is very likely to become reality.

With the SouthCoast one of the fastest growing regions in Massachusetts, it’s essential to plan for a future that protects the region’s natural assets, high quality of life and relatively affordable housing.

The Patrick-Murray Administration’s 2007 Plan for Action envisioned SouthCoast Rail as an economic development and transit project. The SouthCoast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan was developed with the region’s residents and leaders. It sets out a framework for regional growth that is clustered, more sustainable and better connected within the region and to metro Boston. It supports a future vision with renewed and expanded urban centers, adding new, walkable neighborhoods and preserving natural assets for future generations.

How will this happen?

• The corridor plan designates more than 30 priority development areas and more than 70 priority protection areas. Identifying key sites for development and preservation began locally with communities working with their regional planning agency to identify and map their areas of interest. This process was followed by a review of the locally identified areas by both regional planning agencies and state agencies to identify key locations that presented regionally significant growth and preservation opportunities and supported state priorities. The resulting map identifies areas with significant capacity and potential to support new economic development in the region and areas where valuable open space and natural landscapes should be prioritized for protection.
• Gov. Deval Patrick issued an executive order to support the regional planning efforts that resulted in the corridor plan. As a result of the order, state agencies have incorporated the corridor plan into their decision-making process for investments, and are required to evaluate the consistency of their investments with the plan.
• The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) are further supporting the implementation of the goals established in the corridor plan through grants to SouthCoast communities for technical assistance. Technical assistance is provided by the regional planning agencies and can be used for planning, permitting and zoning tasks to help communities advance their economic development, housing or preservation goals. EOHED Secretary Gregory Bialecki announced the fourth round of grants to 18 communities – with an estimated value of $275,000 – in November 2011.
• The Patrick-Murray Administration won a major $20 million federal stimulus grant to fund reconstruction of three rail bridges in New Bedford. MassDOT’s project was the first to win federal approval in the nation; finished ahead of schedule; and included enhanced measures for pedestrian and vehicle safety. This investment is enhancing current freight operations while supporting future passenger rail.

New, Green Neighborhoods

The corridor plan estimates that commuter rail service to the SouthCoast will generate nearly $500 million in new economic activity every year. This new growth by the year 2030 is not likely to occur without the train. It will result from travel cost savings and improved business and labor productivity brought about by shorter travel times to jobs and educational opportunities and mobility offered by the rail.

Great places at new station areas will maximize transit-oriented development that builds new, green neighborhoods with jobs and housing. SouthCoast Rail will promote smart and sustainable growth and advance climate solutions by making it possible for residents to reduce their automobile usage, particularly around these new station locations.

Planning to improve transit on this scale is a lengthy process. MassDOT and the MBTA have secured state approval on the draft environmental documents and are continuing to work with federal and state partners to produce the final technical reports that are needed. The Patrick-Murray Administration won a major federal grant to expand track capacity at South Station and develop a mid-day layover facility, a precursor to expanding SouthCoast service. That planning work will begin this year.

Go to a meeting and support transit: South Coast Rail needs to be “shovel ready” for federal or state economic development funding and reauthorization of federal transportation funding. There is no time to lose.

Jean Fox is MassDOT’s project manager for SouthCoast Rail. Email: jean.fox@state.ma.us