Politics & Government

Medfield to 'Keep an Eye' on Commuter Rail Expansion Proposal

Medfield Town Administrator Michael Sullivan says the town will continue to monitor the proposed commuter rail expansion that would run trains through Medfield enroute to Foxborough or Worcester.

After reviewing the pilot railroad study for expansion in the I-495 region, the proposal has left Town Administrator Michael Sullivan "cynical" of its purpose and benefit to the area.

“It seems like an awful rush job to me,” Sullivan said of the proposal, which if approved, could be completed by 2013 at the latest. “Most of [the cost of the project] I believe is somewhere around 15 and 16 million dollars, including the cost of additional trains that need to be purchased. … “Why they are doing it leads me to be somewhat cynical and believe that it is in relation to the proposed casino.”

Sullivan said he “took a look” at the 36-page study after Senator James Timilty (D-Walpole) and State Representative Dan Winslow (R-Norfolk) “brought it to the town’s attention.”  

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“They [Winslow and Timilty] are greatly and think this proposal coming out of the blue like this relates to the proposed casino in Foxborough.”

Sullivan says the study, prepared by the Mirick O’Connell law firm representing Worcester, Westborough and Boston, proposes Foxborough to become “a major economic center” and Medfield would be “impacted” by the towns’ proximity to one another. According to Mapquest, the center of Medfield is 9.72 miles away from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

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In order to get commuter rail service from Worcester to Foxborough, Sullivan said the proposal calls for an unidentified number of trains to travel from Framingham down the CSX line through Sherborn and Medfield into Walpole, before arriving at its Gillette Stadium destination.

“Initially, they say they would propose it for events at the stadium,” Sullivan said. “Which sounds like it could be just for football but then given the proposal to put a casino there, you know events there will turn out to be much more than football games and rock concerts.”

Assistant Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler sits on the executive board of the I-495 Partnership – a study group that explores ways to "create an environment that cultivates growth" – and said she asked what the reasoning behind the proposal was when the study was presented six months ago in draft form.

“It was told to improve traffic around the region, especially on game day traffic,” Trierweiler said. “I brought up the issue of the casino and I was told ‘no, that would violate NFL rules’ and that this [proposal] has nothing to do with a casino. ... Obviously, that’s not true.”

The study, according to Sullivan, is to expand commuter rail service from Walpole to Foxborough “with the intent of providing three to four peak time trains from Gillette Stadium through Walpole and hooking up to the Franklin line” as well as “additional off-peak services.”

There are several proposals on the table as to what those “off-peak services” could be, which is where Medfield would be affected.

“The second phase of that [proposal] is to extend train service from Worcester through Framingham and that would be on the main line that goes into Boston,” Sullivan said. “When it would get to Framingham, they would then have trains go along the CSX line through Sherborn, through Medfield to Walpole and then from Walpole go to Gillette Stadium.”

As a result of the expanded rail line, Sullivan said the proposal calls for an increase in train speed from the 10 miles per hour trains currently travel on the CSX line.

“[For the events service proposal] they would propose upgrading the speed of the trains from 10 mph to run at 40 mph,” Sullivan said. “The second part of that study is they are proposing to make it a regular commuter rail service, so it would not be just for events. It would be a daily commuter rail service. In that event, they are proposing to upgrade the speed of trains not to 40 mph but to 60 mph. So you would be going from 10 mph to 60 mph.”

There are several reasons this proposal could become problematic for Medfield, according to Sullivan.

  • “Trains going, not just at 60 mph but even 40 mph across West Street, Dale Street, [Route] 109 and South Street [and] Hospital Road … so you have [five] crossings at 40 to 60 mph without any specified number of trains [is a major issue],” Sullivan.
  • “They don’t specify the number of trains because it has to be studied and they don’t specify the revenue on that portion of the line because it needs to be studied more closely,” Sullivan said.
  • “The study that involves Medfield suggests that they haven’t identified train station locations along the CSX line but the obvious locations would be near Route 27 in Sherborn and near Route 109 in Medfield,” Sullivan said.

As a result of those issues and the concerns expressed from Representative Winslow and Senator Timilty, Sullivan said the pilot railroad study is something the town will pay attention to moving forward.

“I think it is something we have to keep an eye on,” Sullivan said. “I think this is something that needs to be addressed through something like 495 Partnership.”

Trierweiler agreed.

“We actually have a meeting of 495 Partnership [in January],” she said. “It is being held at Framingham State and this is going to be a topic for all of the members to discuss further now that the casino issue has been brought to light.”

Trierweiler suggested the town extend an invite to the 495 study group to attend an upcoming selectmen meeting to discuss these issues further.

“It may not be a bad idea,” Trierweiler said. “I know about a year ago, the director of the 495 Partnership was going around and meeting with town members. They have not come to see us in about a year and a half and maybe this [would be a good time to have them come out here].”

Sullivan hoped to include State Representatives Winslow and Denise Garlick as well as Senator Timilty in the meeting.

“It would be good to invite Representative Winslow, Senator Timilty and Representative Garlick,” Sullivan said. “I think it would be important for them to keep up on this issue and I know they have kept us informed through sending out reports and sending letters they have forwarded to the state.”

In addition to issues the town would face regarding this commuter rail expansion, Sullivan cited the cost implications of the project as reason for concern.

“The MBTA is already going broke and when you add up the figures for the capital costs and operating revenue they would be generating, it’s more heavily subsidized transportation service with very little, I think the expected use was 990 in the initial report from Walpole to Foxborough,” Sullivan said.

Of the 990 expected commuters, Sullivan said “about 300” would be travelers being drawn away from other train stations.

“Instead of going to Norfolk or Walpole, people would go to Foxborough,” Sullivan said. “So they’re not new customers.”

The project, estimated at $15 to $16 million, would require the rail lines to be rebuilt and extended, only to increase its commuter rail service by 660 passengers, while creating significant operating loss potential.

“They would rebuild the lines and extend the commuter train service to Gillette Stadium with the intent of providing three to four peak time trains from Gillette Stadium, through Walpole, hooking up to the Franklin line,” Sullivan said. “Providing service from downtown Boston in South station to Foxborough.

“There is another part that proposes extending train service from Foxborough to Mansfield, where it would then pick up on the Providence line and provide commuter rail service from Providence to Foxborough.”

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler “Pete” Peterson said there’s little economic potential in this proposed project.

“When [the] thought about having a commuter rail come out from Medfield to Millis, 10 to 15 years ago, [it was] said there was no way economically [it] would ever [happen],” Peterson said. “The only way [it] would [happen] is if [it was] ordered. I think this would be the same sort of situation. There’s no way this makes economic sense.”


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