The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on Friday broke ground on a new commuter rail station in Salem.  

The MassDOT board of directors in December 2012 approved the construction contract for the Salem commuter rail station and parking garage. Milford-based Consigli Construction Inc. is the project contractor.

The $44.5 million station project will include a five-level parking facility with spots for approximately 700 vehicles, which will open by Oct. 1, 2014. The Salem Station is currently the second busiest on the commuter rail system with 2,400 boardings per day. The project design allows for future transit-oriented development on the nearby city of Salem site and over the bus and vehicle driveways to the riverfront.

"I am excited and happy to see this along-awaited project finally becoming a reality," Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll said in a statement. "As the busiest commuter rail station on this line, Salem has long been in need of an appropriate, multi-modal transit hub, to anchor our downtown, accommodate commuters and serve as a suitable first impression to our vibrant city for visitors."