Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3908 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 3908
2	2	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
3	3	________________________________________
4	4	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, June 9, 2023.
5	5	The committee on Transportation to whom was referred the petition
6	6	(accompanied by bill, House, No. 3315) of Brandy Fluker Oakley and
7	7	others relative to service on the Fairmount commuter rail line, reports
8	8	recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 3908) ought to
9	9	pass.
10	10	For the committee,
11	11	WILLIAM M. STRAUS. 1 of 2
12	12	FILED ON: 6/9/2023
13	13	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3908
14	14	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
15	15	_______________
16	16	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
17	17	(2023-2024)
18	18	_______________
19	19	An Act improving rail service on the Fairmount commuter rail line.
20	20	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
21	21	of the same, as follows:
22	22	1 SECTION 1. Within 180 days following the effective date of this act, the Massachusetts
23	23	2Bay Transportation Authority and operator of commuter rail service shall ensure frequent and
24	24	3affordable service on the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line, which shall be renamed as the
25	25	4Fairmount/Indigo Line. For the purposes of this section, “frequent and affordable service” shall
26	26	5require: (i) not fewer than three train-sets dedicated to Fairmount/Indigo Line service; provided
27	27	6that such train-sets shall be specially wrapped and marked as Fairmount/Indigo Line trains; and
28	28	7provided further, that such train-sets shall not be diverted from Fairmount/Indigo Line service for
29	29	8any purpose except maintenance; (ii) enhanced headways during peak hours; (iii) the ability to
30	30	9pay for fares for Fairmount/Indigo Line service with fare media including, but not limited to,
31	31	10CharlieCards or its equivalent successor product, M7 Passes, S-Cards, Youth Passes, and other
32	32	11discounted fare medium available to people with disabilities, seniors, and students; (iv) fares
33	33	12levied at the same rate charged to ride the subway network, with free transfers to connecting bus
34	34	13lines and to the Red and Silver Lines at South Station; (v) bus service at Fairmount/Indigo Line 2 of 2
35	35	14stations synchronized with train schedules to the maximum extent feasible; and (vi) the
36	36	15construction of high-level ADA-compliant platforms at Readville and Fairmount stations.
37	37	16 SECTION 2. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall study and report on
38	38	17the feasibility and cost of constructing, operating and maintaining the following improvements to
39	39	18the Fairmount/Indigo Line: (i) additional entrances and redundant elevators and stairs at existing
40	40	19stations and (ii) additional infill stations, including without limitation stations at Columbia Road
41	41	20and River Street. The report shall be delivered to the house and senate chairs of the joint
42	42	21committee on transportation and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later
43	43	22than 1 year following the effective date of this act.
44	44	23 SECTION 3: Not later than July 1, 2025, the Massachusetts Department of
45	45	24Transportation shall complete designs for the electrification of the Fairmount Commuter Rail
46	46	25Line between South Station and Readville; provided, that such designs shall be sufficient to
47	47	26apply for federal stimulus funding to ensure electrification on the Fairmount Commuter Rail
48	48	27Line between South Station and Readville.