Banker & Tradesman file photo
The MBTA’s experiment in offering commuter rail service on a branch line to the Patriot Place mall and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro in recent years appears to have been a success.
Following Beyoncé and Taylor Swift concerts at the stadium that packed trains this summer – so much so that the T was forced to lay on extra trips amid public outcry once tickets sold out near-instantaneously – and a year of less high-profile weekday service at the station “exceeded targeted goals in all key metrics,” the Kraft Group, the town of Foxboro, the T and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation say they’ve inked a deal to make weekday service permanent.
The new schedules started Monday, which will see 11 inbound and 10 outbound trips daily on the branch off the MBTA’s Franklin commuter rail line, including two outbound and two inbound during the morning and evening rush hours according to the Franklin Line’s published timetable. The first train leaves Foxboro at 5:53 a.m., arriving at South Station just before 7 a.m., and the last train leaves Boston at 9:25 p.m., arriving in Foxboro at 10:30 p.m.
“We are thrilled that our many years of partnership with the MBTA, MassDOT and town of Foxborough has culminated in permanent weekday commuter rail service at Foxboro Station,” Patriot Place Vice President and General Manager Brian Earley said in a statement . “Permanent commuter rail service is a key element to drive economic development in this region, establishing an accessible link between Foxborough, Patriot Place and Gillette Stadium with the Greater Boston area. We appreciate the continued support of our riders and look forward to the start of permanent service bringing a huge benefit to the community and commuters alike.”
In a statement, MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said the new service was “a win for the entire region” by increasing transit service. Foxborough’s Acting Town Manager, Paige Duncan said in a statement that permanent commuter rail service had long been an economic development goal for the town.
Part of the deal includes letting commuter rail riders use Gillette Stadium parking lots. In addition, the Kraft Group said it and the MBTA would “partner” on future upgrades to the Foxboro commuter rail station to make it fully accessible – likely involving the construction of a full-height platform to replace the current “mini-high” platform that offers accessible access to just one door on the train.
Town officials have preliminarily proposed rezoning around half of the Gillette Stadium parking lots for housing to comply with the MBTA Communities zoning reform, with a final decision on new zoning due before the end of next year, but it’s not clear if the Kraft Group has plans to develop housing at or near Gillette Stadium.
The new train service arrived just days after the New England Patriots inaugurated a major set of renovations to Gillette Stadium, including a 218-foot-tall lighthouse replica and observation deck and a half-acre video board.
