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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3436 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3315
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Brandy Fluker Oakley
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act improving rail service on the Fairmount commuter rail line.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Brandy Fluker Oakley12th Suffolk1/19/2023Bud L. Williams11th Hampden1/20/2023Christopher J. Worrell5th Suffolk1/20/2023Russell E. Holmes6th Suffolk1/25/2023Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/6/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/8/2023Rob Consalvo14th Suffolk2/8/2023David Allen Robertson19th Middlesex2/8/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/13/2023Nick CollinsFirst Suffolk2/28/2023Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex3/3/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk3/13/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3436 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3315
By Representative Fluker Oakley of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3315)
of Brandy Fluker Oakley and others relative to service on the Fairmount commuter rail line.
Transportation.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act improving rail service on the Fairmount commuter rail line.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1: Within 180 days following the effective date, the Massachusetts Bay
2Transportation Authority and operator of commuter rail service shall make the following
3improvements to the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line: (i) require uniform fares at all stations
4from South Station to Readville that are the same rate charged to ride the subway network, with
5free transfers to connecting bus lines and to the Red and Silver Lines at South Station; (ii)
6complete a plan, in consultation with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Planning
7Office, for electrifying the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line, and post that plan online in an
8accessible format; and (iii) allow fare media including, but not limited to, CharlieCards or its
9equivalent successor products, M7 Passes, S-Cards, Youth Passes, and other discounted fare
10medium available to people with disabilities, seniors, students, and those people meeting other
11eligibility criteria; (iv) amend the train or connecting bus schedules to facilitate synchronized bus
12service with commuter rail service at Fairmount Commuter Rail Line stations, to the maximum 2 of 3
13extent feasible; and (v) designate on station maps the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line as the
14Fairmount/Indigo Line.
15 SECTION 2: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall implement
16electrification along the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line from South Station to Readville Station
17within one year and six months of the effective date of this act. Not later than six months after
18the effective date of this act, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall begin
19construction on the Fairmount corridor to support rail electrification. Not later than two years
20and six months after the effective date of this act, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation
21Authority and Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall work with the Executive Office
22of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection,
23and Massachusetts Department of Public Health to evaluate and file a report with the Joint
24Committee on Transportation indicating the greenhouse gas emissions reduction, air quality
25improvement, climate and health benefits of electrifying the Fairmount/Indigo Line.
26 SECTION 3: Not later than six years after the effective date of this act, or by December
2731, 2029, whichever is earlier, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall operate
28service on the Fairmount/Indigo Line every 7.5 minutes in each direction and ensure that there
29are no less than three train-sets dedicated to service on the line. Not later than six years after the
30effective date of this act, or by December 31, 2029, whichever is earlier, the Massachusetts Bay
31Transportation Authority shall construct high-level ADA-compliant platforms at Fairmount and
32Readville Stations. As part of its operations in 2029, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation
33Authority or Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall complete an analysis into
34additional entrances at existing stations and redundant elevators and stairs and adding infill
35stations at Columbia Road and River Street. Train-sets shall not be diverted from the 3 of 3
36Fairmount/Indigo Line service for any purpose except maintenance directly upon such train-set.
37By Not later than twelve years after the effective date of this act, or by December 31, 2035,
38whichever is earlier, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall maintain the ability to
39operate service on the Fairmount/Indigo Line every 5 minutes in each direction. The
40Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall pursue federal funding to support the
41Fairmount/Indigo Line improvements.